Blue Blood, Red Stain
by iron kitty
Summary: A tale of agony, hope, and redemption.
1. Chapter 1

_In the absence of sickness, life is but one continuous breath, punctuated with smiles and laughter. _

She pondered at the words etched in bronze at the foot of a statue of the man responsible for the pediatric intensive care unit of the hospital. Pictures of him hung in every main hallway of the hospital, and each wing was named after his children and grandchildren. Never had she heard names such as Apollo, Artemis, Antonius or Leto beyond Greek mythology texts, and it was quite amusing to hear these names on the paging system in Japanese staccato. If a man wanted to name all his children after mythological characters, so be it. And if he wanted to donate half his fortune to charity, all the better to leave his legacy with the names of his progeny in each foyer.

Outside the west wing of the pediatric ward, a small smile graced the brooding face of the hidden audience of the man playing _La vie en rose_ on his accordion,on his favorite bench by the west lawn. With the notes that floated sweetly through the air, it was hard to believe that the hands that played them were old and arthritic, with gray hair and a soft wrinkle that betrayed many years of smiling. He was one of the patients in the hospital whose outlook in life she admired from a distance. The man lived as if he never knew he had cancer.

Just like his song.

She sighed.

_Blink._

Be positive, be positive… 

The changing colors of the foliage around the hospital reminded her of how beautiful autumn could be, with leaves that turned to warm red-brown colors as they senesced. It would be cold again soon, and she wondered if by the time the mercury falls a dozen degrees she would find what she was looking for. A breeze swept the courtyard and untucked locks of hair from behind her ears, a hand absently replacing a lock of hair behind one ear, her eyes remaining fixed to no particular point past the trees.

If she could just get through this day, and another and the next after that, she could hold onto hope.

She would belong again.

"Dr. Shirakawa to the green wing, please. Dr. Shirakawa to the green wing."

Pushing off the wall she was leaning against, she sighed as she straightened her posture and brushed the dust off her white coat. Quiet breaks like these were so difficult to enjoy with interruption. For a split second as she turned to the entrance, she was caught in a surreal moment, as if she was in a dream and knew it, only to find out that the stethoscope about her neck and the clinic attire she wore underneath her white coat were all too real. Shaking her head softly, the calm visage that rarely showed itself during the day easily slipped behind a mask of sterile professionalism she's been taught to wear since the early days of her medical training. Stepping through the sliding doors, she strode to the nurses' station where two nurses handed her several papers and a patient's file.

"She's being prepped for the bone marrow transplant. The T cell count is still sky high, and Dr. Kubo wants you to let him know when you want another sample."

"Thank you, Nitta-san." She paused to look through the recent lab work, leaning against the nurses' station desk.  
"No problem, hon. Oh, by the way, the girls are wondering if you want to join us for karaoke two Fridays from now. It's Mika-chan's birthday, and—uh oh… lecherous devil in ten paces." Her voice got so low that she lifted her eyes from the file in time to see all the other nurses grimace and scurry away from the approaching predator.

"Well, if it isn't the most beautiful doctor in this hospital," a low voice boomed. Dr. Shirakawa winced and willed herself to remain civil. Dr. Ito, the egotist, the verging-on-pathological narcissist that ever walked the floors of the hospital. _If not the planet._ When she ignored him, the man stepped right in front of her with a leering smile. She wished she had eyes on the back of her head and didn't have to rely on other people to tell her he was so close on the prowl.

"What are you doing this evening?"

_Sharpening a wooden stake so I can drive it through your left fourth and fifth ribs…_

"I have a shift till seven in the morning," she said in a tone as close to neutral as possible.

The man sighed. "That's too bad. I wanted to save you from the mundane of this hospital life and take you to this really good restaurant downtown, and—"

"Pardon me, Dr. Ito, but Dr. Kubo is expecting me right now, I have to go."

He quirked a brow and flashed a sardonic grin. "Surely you don't find that old man more interesting than me?"

She had enough of playing games. "The only thing old about Dr. Kubo is the good values every gentleman should have." She picked up the file and replaced her pen in her coat pocket. "It seems that you have _much_ to learn from him. Good day, Dr. Ito."

She walked away from the nurses' station with her previous company staring agape at her back and the nurses behind the station snickering with newfound respect for the youngest doctor on the floor.

Dr. Shirakawa did not get past the elevators without the old patient in room five waiting for her to flash her a grin and a wink, complete with oxygen tank and nasal tubing. He raised a shaky hand at the doctor, and said with an even shakier voice, "How 'bout a five for this old fart?"

The ice seemed to melt from her features from the previous lecherous company and warmed up to the elderly man. She clapped her hand gently against his arthritic one, elating the old man with a grin from ear to ear.

"Go on and save the world, my dear!" he cheered as she walked past him and into a waiting elevator.

"I'm not Superman!" she cracked a grin as the doors closed him out of view. A man who constantly forgot to take his tranquilizer pills… she couldn't blame him for getting delusional.

The hematology floor was shared by the physical medicine wing of the main hospital, where many of the patients spent their time learning how to use their muscles again, anywhere from a minor sprain to hip replacements to multiple fractures. The nurses there knew her as well, and she was the favorite hushed topic of the male physical therapists of the floor. If it hadn't been for the nurses divulging the secret that there was a long-going bet on which of the therapists would succeed in asking her out on a date, she would've continued to be the amiable, clueless coworker at the hospital. Putting up with Dr. Ito more than tested her patience, and being a part of a silly wager wasn't her hobby. She didn't understand why of all the women in the hospital, _she_ was being singled out by unwanted attention. What happened to the nurse fetish? It made her want to hide under a rock.

Finally arriving at her destination, she paused to scan her surroundings for any sign of Ito. He was just as persistent as he was grandiosely stubborn, and she didn't put it past him to sneak around and follow her around the hospital. He had done it before. For a split second, she suddenly wished Dr. Kubo was a lot younger and handsome, if only to deter unwanted attention. Approaching the door, she wondered, with the exception of the old doctor she was about to see, if there was something wrong with the water or the ventilation system of the hospital they were in. Such behavior from the men in the building couldn't be normal, and giving so much attention to a normal, fully clothed person like her made no sense.

_It could be an epidemic of psychosis…_

She smiled.

Knock.

"Come in."

Swiveling from his leather chair, Dr. Kubo smiled he saw his youngest protégée walk into his office. There was a slight crease on her brow that betrayed annoyance.

"What is it, dear? It's rather unbecoming of someone so young to show scorn."  
Her brow eased at the comment and with a sigh she plopped down on the chair in front of his desk. "Not something. Some_one_."

Dr. Kubo's face twisted. "Ito?"

"You got it. He just doesn't understand the word 'no', and all the nurses avoid him like the plague." She closed her eyes and rubbed at a temple. "I have a mind to hire a hitman."

Her elder companion laughed. "I doubt you'd have to hire anyone, plenty of people in this hospital would do it for free." When this elicited a smile from her, he waved subject off. "Anyway, he's small beans when it comes to what we have on our hands." He turned to his computer and opened a window showing a blood smear, with large cells of blue with big, dark purple nuclei. "Little Maya will be going through a lot today with the transplant, a lot of people will be holding their breaths for her. Including me," he added, sighing. "But… I believe that she'll pull through fine, since she's young and the leukemia was caught early enough… what say you, my budding colleague?"

She paused to chew on the inside of her lip. "You always told me to trust my instincts, and I'm with you on this. After all, you're the only one I really trust around here. You, and the nurses."

The old doctor was tickled, grinning as he saved the file and leaned back in his chair. "Your medical intuition supercedes your youth, my dear. You need not worry too much about Ito, I will make sure the leash gets pulled on him. Just beware that a dog can still snap at you even with a leash on."

He got up from his chair, opened his desk drawer and pulled out a lens cloth. "Oh, guess who asked about you the other day?" he asked, taking off his glasses and cleaning them.

"The lottery commission telling me I won millions?"

He laughed. "Remember my classmate from medical school, Genzai? He wanted to know if there was a Megumi who worked at this hospital. At first I denied it, but after describing you to the tee, I told him your name was Shirakawa Kasumi, and he laughed and told me he must've confused your name with your sister's… I didn't know you had a sister."

A small grin bent her lips at the thought of Dr. Genzai and the name he called her. Only a handful of people knew her real name, if only her first name, and she vowed that only those people would ever know it. Dr. Genzai was a family friend who kept in touch regularly with her folks, long before she was left alone in the world. She was silently grateful and relieved that Dr. Genzai discreetly covered up for the slip of his tongue. It took her a long time to assume a new name and get to where she was now in her medical career, and it wouldn't do to have to start all over again, not when she was making money at a rate steady enough to lead her closer to those she lost. As much as she wanted to confide in her mentor, she couldn't allow someone else to carry the risk of harm without his knowledge. It was a doctor's first duty, after all.

_Do no harm..._

"How is Dr. Genzai, by the way? You mentioned that he would visit here soon."

"He said he'd come by with some cases for me to look at… wondered if me and the wife wanted to go out to dinner. Would you like to join us?"  
Any chance to connect with people who knew her past was always a welcomed event. "Sure, when will it be?"  
"I guess he'll let me know when he gets here. Don't worry about any scheduling conflicts, I'll make sure Ito gets the double shift that night."

Megumi grinned. "Still bribing Naoko-san with sweets?"  
"I hate the milk chocolate bonbons, she abhors the dark chocolate ones. It's a beautiful friendship."

"You could always just buy the ones you like."

"Yes, but it keeps me from eating a tubful of them, and I wouldn't dare take away the sweet oil that keeps the work schedule greased," he said, winking at her before replacing his glasses on his face.

She rose to her feet and followed him out the door, her smile unfading. "I knew there was a reason why I chose to work for your team." His laugh resonated throughout the hallway as they walked down the corridor. The cadence of their stride reflected more than what their white coats made them out to be, more than just aging master and young apprentice.

They were friends.

* * *

Pots and pans clattered above the noisy chatter of the kitchen, with orders being shouted at the kitchen staff and waiters sorting out ready orders. Friday nights were expected to be busy, but the long list of reservations had Tae's eyes swirling. She was itching to find out why all the foreigners who made up half of all her patrons flocked her restaurant, and she usually knew the goings-on around town. As she made her way back to the reservation desk where more people waited for tables, she alerted the servers to be polite and tactful in handing the bill to the patrons. Never had she seen such tall, burly men with exotic beauties clinging to each muscled arm grace her restaurant before.

After ushering the sixth party to a vacant table, she reached for her cell phone and punched a number on speed-dial, silently praying for the other side to pick up.

"Hello?"  
"Please tell me you're not busy right now."

Laughter.

"Need me to come in?"  
"I need you to save my life! I've got customers coming out of my ears!"

"Sounds serious… you need to see someone about that."

"Come on, this _is_ serious! Please, will you come and help?"

Deliberate pause.

"I don't know, Tae…"

"I'll double what I pay you."

Grin.

"I'll be there in ten minutes."

Sighing her relief, she approached the next party to be seated, a bit disturbed at the sight of a man wearing a near-see-through shirt of sheer material, more so than the two women who hung onto his well-defined shoulders like gaudy scarves. After giving them the wine list at the table, she excused herself and walked briskly back to the front of the restaurant, her eyes immediately falling on the reservation book with a cursory glance at her watch. She hoped it took her help less than ten minutes to arrive.

"Would you be so kind as to let me know when the table for Tsukioka, party of eight, will be ready?"

Tae's head whipped up to see a man with the devil's grin in a black suit, his eyes sparkling an impish sort of warmth and perfect teeth that gleamed predatorily. She immediately relaxed and smiled back.

"Katsu, what are you doing here?" she greeted as he walked to the side of the desk to give her a kiss on both cheeks, a gesture that used to color her skin red to the roots of her hair, now an accepted social greeting that he had gotten her used to.

"Supplying you with customers, of course!" he said, the grin widening from ear to ear.

She gasped. "You mean you know all these people?"

"Not all of them, just the muscle men."

To Tae, it meant that they were the ones paying for the bills. "Why didn't you tell me in advance? I would've prepared—"

"I'm sorry, Tae, I couldn't, the venue owner changed his mind the last minute and all of us had to catch the next available flight back here," he said, leaning closely so that only she could hear his words. "I'm sorry, sweetie. How can I make it up to you?"

She smiled her forgiveness, and before she could reply, one of her servers approached her bearing a whispered message. Tae's eyes flickered happily.

"Tell you what, Mr. Tsukioka. If you pay for a special employee's wages tonight, I'll make sure to leave an impression for all your friends to come back again. Deal?"

He pretended to weigh the benefits of the cost when he lowered his gaze to her throat. Tae already knew the answer, and he was just looking for an excuse to visually devour her.

"When have I ever refused you?" he said in a low tone. It was enough to color her pink. She tried to mask the embarrassment with a smile.

"I think you'll be in a for a surprise, you won't regret it."

"Have I met this employee before?" he asked as she grabbed several menus from beneath the desk.

"Actually, yes, you have." And with a wink, Tae left her lover to mull over the face of an acquaintance they mutually knew.

* * *

Intercepting the server who relayed the message earlier, she wove past the busboys and servers with trays full of food to get to her office tucked in the corner of the kitchen. Upon opening the door, she found her friend staring at the wall, her face partly hidden behind the straight black curtain of her hair. Tae jolted her out of her reverie when she attacked her with a hug from behind.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you for coming!" A slight wheeze escaped her friend's throat with a tap against her arms to release her from the vise-like grip, and she contritely obliged.

"I came here to help you, not suffocate!"

"I'm sorry! It's just, I'm really happy you came to the rescue. And, what's even better, is that there's a chance to _quadruple_ your earnings tonight!"

Quirked brow.

"That's too good to be true. And when it sounds too good to be true, it more than likely _is_."

"I'm not kidding, Kasumi. Tonight's chances of cashing in are huge if—"

"If what, Tae?"

The proprietor pretended to be hurt. "Why so suspicious? Here I go all out for a friend to make the opportunity to make a huge amount of money—"

"You begged me to come here and help with the wait staff, am I right?"

Her face fell a little. "Yes, that's correct, but what I'm trying to tell you is that you won't have to do so much of waiting tables tonight, because—"

"Because what, Tae?"

Kasumi had a lot of reason to be chary. Upon tipsily displaying a playful skill she had learned as a child during a sleepover at Tae's, her enterprising friend had been able to exploit it to the fullest whenever she needed something to impress restaurant critics and the most discriminating of guests. Every one had a price, after all, and for reasons unknown to her, Kasumi could be persuaded, with great difficulty, if the promise of financial gain was high enough. She didn't care why, because in the end, both parties were always happy. If only she could pull it off… Tae sighed resignedly.

"Because… I was maybe hoping that you could do a little… _just a little_," she reiterated, complete with a measuring hand gesture, "dancing."

Kasumi frowned. "Tae, that was not what you called me in for."

"I know, I know, but Kasumi, I found out that all these people are from Katsu's business circle, and I can't make a good impression for his business or mine if the food is late without some kind of beautiful diversion."

Tae should know better than to fluff the situation with flattery. "Be that as it may, Tae, you know how I feel about doing that in public. That is strictly a family tradition thing." She was met with doe eyes.

"Which is why I got us this!" Tae pointed to a box that was sitting on the floor, prancing towards it like a child on Christmas day. Opening it, she took a wooden stand from behind a folding wall and placed the sleeves through the wooden arms carefully before standing next to it to show the display. Kasumi's lips parted slightly in awe.

It was a black kimono, made of silk that distributed the light's gleam from overhead with its numerous cherry blossom tree pattern embroidered in gold silk thread.With a blink, a memory from a decade ago played before her mind's eye: the kimono she received for her sixteenth birthday, the family members who cheered and greeted her in the banquet hall, and the intricate art of dance that she performed for all to see, the family tradition that was taught as a gift from mother to daughter. A memory that was so vivid and beautiful in her mind that it was almost unbearable.

"So what do you think?"

The question was left unanswered, as her actions alone showed Tae her thoughts. With a mind of their own, her hands made their way to the sleeves of the garment, the pads of her fingers lightly tracing the elaborate gold stitching of silk upon silk.

It was so luxurious and soft, she willed her eyes not to water in remembrance.

"Tae… there's no way I can afford to pay for the rental…"

Her friend laughed. "Who said it was a rental? This beauty is now the property of the restaurant!" When Tae got the dumbfounded gaze she was looking for, her lips moved to seal the deal. "I stopped by the Arashinos the other day and they happened to have this gorgeous thing on the display case by the cash register. Grandma Arashino suggested that I should just go ahead and buy a kimono instead of having to rent one every time we have a special occasion. We've rented kimonos from them ten times in the past, after all, and the cost of five rentals alone could've already bought us one of these jewels. She wasn't really ready to part with this one, she said it was made for someone else, but with some bargaining she finally caved in. A kimono maker's got to eat, too, I suppose. Anyway, this was a really good deal, and I couldn't pass it up! It belongs to us now, so you shouldn't hold yourself back anymore and allow a few lucky patrons to see you perform!"

Kasumi was very quiet and remained so, her eyes lost in the patterns on the silk. Too quiet for Tae's liking.

"So come on, I'll help you put it on! Grandma Arashino told me that this was special, it already has the extra pockets we used to ask them to sew onto the rentals before. And if you need any more adjustments made to it, she said to stop by anytime."

When she made no move to change, Tae became desperate.

"Please, Kasumi… if anything, just for tonight. I had no idea this many people would show up, and Katsu's business associates, no less… I'm already short on wait staff. If I can just divert their attention elsewhere for a few minutes, I can get everyone served and fed without losing customers for the extra wait."

A pause.

"Wouldn't it be better if I helped the servers instead?"

"I promised you good money, up to four times even, if you just do this little thing for me. Please, Kasumi? I'm begging you."

After a few moments of hesitation, Kasumi smiled faintly at the fabric and turned to her friend. _No, Tae, you misunderstand…_ "You know you don't have to beg, Tae. I'd do it for you because you asked me to. Desperately. That's what friends are for, right?"

The proprietress launched thankful arms around Kasumi, relieved. "You can have anything you want from the kitchen!"

Kasumi smiled. "I believe you told me I already had that privilege."

Happily detaching herself, Tae went to her desk and pulled out a lacquer box from one of the drawers. "Okay then, how about this for a gift?" She cheered at Kasumi's reaction when she opened the box.

"Where did you get—"

"Grandma Arashino suggested these fans to go with the kimono. Aren't they pretty?" Tae spread the fans open, revealing a blinding color of gold on one side, silver on the other, each fan having some sort of odd pastel metallic print decorating the inside of the folds.

Tae had no idea what the box's contents meant for Kasumi.

"So come on already and let's get you dressed up!"

Amidst the rustle of fabric, the make-up and Tae's excitement, Kasumi couldn't decide if what she was agreeing to do was irreverence of an age-old tradition, or merely another chance at finding those she lost. She will have to see by the end of the evening. The will to fight her inner battles was extinguished at the sight of her before a full-length mirror. Tae's giggly praises did not reach her ears, for she was very far from the present, back to a time when she had no worry for money, no lack of familial warmth.

"Kasumi, what's wrong? You look like you're about to cry… do you not like it?"

She shook her head to ease herself more than Tae's concern. "I like it. I like it a lot… it's just…" _I remember everything…_

Just when Tae thought tears would roll down her face at any second, she marveled at the self-control that slipped across Kasumi's features, swallowing some sorrow she didn't understand with one gulp and wearing that small smile of calm determination that would remain during her entire performance.

"Kasumi, I know I'm pushing this on you because of my selfishness… forgive me?"  
For allowing her to relive a beautiful memory or for getting paid ridiculous sums of money for dressing like a doll, Megumi had no idea how to tell her best friend that forgiveness wasn't in order, but gratitude. But it could wait, not like her patrons who needed some distraction.

"I can dim the lights when you enter the dining hall. Which music should I put on for you? The shamisen one?" Tae suggested, leading her out of the office and through the kitchen where surprised cooks and servers stood amazed. It was hard to believe that this was the same person who waited quietly in Tae's office, who had done this sort of thing before in the past, and yet all they could do was stare with fascination at her. Neither one of them seemed to notice.

"Actually, Tae, if you trust me to be a bit daring, I will need to prepare several things before I go out."

Worry marred her brow. "Will it take long?"

"Fifteen minutes."

Tae play-pouted and looked at her watch.

"Tonight's important, right?"

Her gaze returned to Kasumi. "Extremely." Business impressions were at stake, hers and Katsu's. She knew that this would make growling stomachs growl even more, but something in the way Kasumi stood quietly while peering through the circular glass windows of the kitchen doors hinted of things new she has probably never seen before.

Excitement.

Tae flashed a grin. "I can stall fifteen minutes." One look at Kasumi's secret smile and she knew she wouldn't be disappointed. She beckoned the servers to be swift with appetizer orders and with one last good-luck embrace to Kasumi, she hustled out of the kitchen and turned on the charm.

Left in the kitchen, Kasumi turned around to find the kitchen staff, all of them men, ogling at her. She cleared her throat along with her embarrassment.

"So… who among you has an MP4 player with weird music on the premises?"

A hand slowly rose among the white uniforms, belonging to the youngest looking man holding a ladle close to his chest.

Delighted.

"May I have a listen?"

* * *

It must've been the eighth time he's glanced at his watch since the phone call he received ten minutes ago on his cell. He paced by the entrance of the restaurant, not wanting anyone to hear just how loud the other line was yelling, but not wanting to hang up either. He'd rather get kicked in the face than suffer the wrath of a woman. And she wasn't even his girlfriend.

Another minute ticked by.

But she wanted to be.

"Listen, I can't be involved right now," he butted in as he reached for the door of the entrance. "I never said any of those things, and had I known helping you push your stalled car to the side of the road was gonna lead to this, I would've called a tow truck for you instead."

He jerked his head away from the phone to prevent the other line from blowing out his eardrum with a shriek. At this point, she can be pissed off at him for all he cared. He'd been kicked in the face before, and he's still alive to talk about it. "I'm sorry, my manager forbids me to be involved in relationships with people who have engine troubles and mental problems."

_Click._

Sagara Sanosuke took a deep, cleansing breath in and out before allowing himself to reach for the door handle of the restaurant. He knew very well that it was owned by his best friend's girlfriend, and he wanted to be on his best behavior. Even though she picked on him, it was all playful and little brother-like, and he liked her because she was an understanding and cool person who knew exactly how the wheels of Katsu's mind turned. The last thing they needed was a sour-faced man walking into their restaurant and fuel more jokes cracked on his expense.

Seeing no one at the reservation desk, he walked to the seating area where several loud voices shouted his name in greeting, all belonging to the muscled men in the crowd. He grinned to them in acknowledgment, occasionally stopping at a table or two to exchange small talk until he finally spotted Katsu and the rest of their crew. Before he could reach them, the lights in the dining hall dimmed twice, followed by the cheerful voice of the proprietor dressed in business black.

"My dear guests, I am very excited to share with you a very special evening with an exceptionally rare talent. Only on very few occasions am I allowed to witness the beauty of traditional Japanese dance, and I am delighted that you all can be as fortunate as I am tonight."

Pleased murmurs rose from the crowd, widening Tae's grin.

"We are aware that some of you have traveled many hours to be here tonight, and we hope you enjoy the sights and flavors our establishment has to offer. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for indulging us with your presence, and we welcome you to Japan."

Cheers and wine glasses rose to toast to Tae's reception. Throwing a cursory glance at Katsu's table, she savored the gleam in his eyes as she walked to stand next to one of her servers by the reservation desk. Finally noticing his friend, Katsu stood to clap at Sanosuke's back.

"What took you so long? I was about to send someone to look for you!"

"Sorry, pal. I had to ditch this annoying chick who wouldn't leave me alone."

"The one whose car stalled?"

"How'd you know?"

Katsu laughed. "I'm your manager, Sano. I know you to the very last woman you date."

"Correction, I _never _dated her. But she wanted me to. And how in the hell did she get a hold of my cell number?"  
"Who cares? I'll just change it to a new one. So relax and park your butt on that chair, something good's about to happen."

Sanosuke's face cracked with a grin. "It's about damn time."

With the announcement done, Tae directed her gaze at the kitchen doors to look for Megumi's cue. "Thanks for dimming the lights for me," she said to the server while placing a wireless mic around her ear.

"Kasumi-san asked for Yuuji-kun to man the dimmer switches through the song, since he's the only one who knows it." The server moved and carried chairs for Tae and her to sit on.

"Which music did she pick?"

She shrugged. "She asked for something weird, and if Yuuji-kun listens to it, it's definitely weird."

That meant that Kasumi would definitely show something new. With a shock of orange hair and ten earrings in each ear, Yuuji was as Area 51 as they could get. Tae couldn't wait. Speaking softly into the two-way mic, she called out to the kitchen and the chef informed her that almost all of the orders could be ready in five minutes, and that he and the rest of the kitchen staff would like to see the show as well. To Tae, this was a first. She wondered what happened in the fifteen-minute time span she had given Kasumi in the kitchen. To rouse the interest of the chef who never stepped on a tile beyond the kitchen was something that tickled her curiosity even more. When Yuuji emerged through the kitchen doors, she motioned him to join her at the reservation desk.

"We just need to hook this up to the sound system, Tae-san," he said as he handed over his iPod to Tae.

"Yuuji-kun, why do you still have a ladle in your hand?"

Realizing the object was still in his grasp, he hid it behind his back, embarrassed. "Uh, sorry. I was a little too excited to let go."  
"Do you know how the lighting works?"

"Yes, you taught me when on the first day," he said, his voice oddly lively. "Uh, Kasumi-san gave some instructions to Abe-san with regards to dessert. She said to tell you to trust her."

After nearly plugging the wrong wire to the iPod, Tae knew she was a little too excited as well. "Can you tell me what she said to them?"

The reedy kitchen hand shrugged. "All I know is they were going through all the fruit like mad. I was too busy with finding a song for Kasumi-san that I noticed little else."

Before she could prod him for more information, Tae saw a dinner napkin waving through a crack between the kitchen doors. That would be Kasumi.

_Showtime._

Leaving Yuuji to the lighting, she took a seat next to her server and eagerly kept her eyes peeled. She hoped to remember to breathe.

Doing as he was instructed, Yuuji shut off all the lights, the abrupt blackout filling the room with startled murmurs. In a few seconds, only the stadium lighting gradually lit up, with the recessed lighting remaining off, illuminating the snaking walkway that gave access to the tables. Under the centermost light stood Kasumi, her back straight, head bowed.

Awed applause erupted from the crowd, including Tae, whose lips slightly parted at the radiance of the silk that wrapped around her. She gave herself a mental pat on the back. Kasumi looked stunning. With a slow, elegant bow, a succession of string notes filled the room, accompanied by the oddest bass electronica she had ever heard. The sense of it all was lost on Tae, but with the toss and effortless catch of fans in her deft hands, what seemed dissonant to her ears began to have some harmony behind it.

Tsukioka's party of eight had mouths falling agape at the snap and flicker of the metallic painted fans. It was unlike anything they had ever seen, and as well traveled as they were and Japanese nonetheless, not one of the fan dances they've watched was ever an experience like this. Not when the music was so… odd. And the performer so adept with the fans like they were an extension of her hands. Katsu was impressed that Tae could even find entertainment this exotic, and as the moving mass of iridescent silk danced steps closer to their table, he was floored.

"Oh my God, that's Kasumi!" he exclaimed loud enough that Sanosuke yanked him silent.

"Dude, she might stop dancing if you don't shut up!" he hissed.

Katsu got the idea, but it was just too much of a shock for him to process that this was the same person who was his girl's best friend. "For God's sake, Sano, do you have any idea who she is?"

Sanosuke took a good long look and couldn't think past the word beautiful. She was definitely beautiful. So beautiful he didn't want to blink.

Despite the choice she made with the song being played, Kasumi's senses only felt the crisp notes of a harp, the chilling tones of a xylophone that rollercoasted in time to a bone-rattling bass, and the lightness of the fans in her hands, as if their maker knew the intent of the owner who had them under her command. Earlier she had wondered at the odd metallic print on the inside folds of the fans, but after getting a glimpse of her reflection on the glass windows, she realized that the pastel prints were painted onto the fans to resemble falling cherry blossom petals when the fans were twirled. The discovery made her fall in love all over again with the art passed down to her. She allowed herself a small smile.

Sanosuke found himself reacting to the small tug of her lips. She was like a moving canvas, and her hands were like pictures at an exhibition, with each flip and twirl of her fans a change of scenery. He forced himself to breathe. Maybe he'd hear the air going in and out of his lungs above the quick tempo of his heartbeat.

"Sano, she was the one Tae promised me would make a great impression on our visiting crew."

No response.

"And to think it's Kasumi of all people!"

He was never going to forget that name.

Katsu chuckled silently. "I see you're as impressed as I am. How the hell am I going to afford her wages tonight, this performance is so awesome that I don't think—"

"She's on the payroll?" Sanosuke suddenly asked, surprising Katsu's spine straight.

"Well, not really, just for tonight… Tae promised to make a good impression on our visitors if I forked over the money to pay for a 'special employee'." Katsu shook his head grinning. "And it doesn't get any more special than this."

Sanosuke got quiet. _Special, indeed_. He had never concentrated as much out of the ring before as he did now, watching her movements intently. She was two tables away from theirs now, and the lights would flicker off every fifth beat for a second, only to turn back on to reveal her standing in a different pose by a different table. It took him a few moments to realize that the attentions of those at the table she visited were distracted by something on their table. At the next flicker of the lights, she appeared before the Tsukioka table, and the smile on her face widened as she met Katsu's awestruck eyes.

"Kasumi, you freakin' rock!" Katsu's cheer sounded like a girlish hiss. To keep herself from giggling, she bowed her head slowly, one fan twirled while the other shut.

Lights off.

Sanosuke felt a faint tap against the surface of the table, and when the lights came back on, he spied a small square tin foil at the edge. As he made a move to snatch the object, the snap of Kasumi's fan startled him, forcing him to look up. When his eyes met her gaze, she was like deer caught in headlights. Kasumi quickly averted her eyes from his smoldering ones, thankful for the fifth beat that saved her from that sudden awkward feeling that began to churn in the pit of her stomach. As if to hide, she flipped an open fan in one hand and covered half her face with it.

What was that feeling about, anyway?

When she got closer to where Tae sat, she could mentally hear her squealing with glee at her. Snapping both fans shut, she pointed one at Tae while she bowed her head, slowly opening the other to reflect the light that shone against her on Tae. The other fan followed suit, and Tae was cheered on by her excited patrons. Katsu was tickled by the gentle stunt, laughing out loud at the flushed embarrassment on his lover's face. With both gold faces of the fan reflecting the gleam of the lights directly above, Tae looked like the sun, and Kasumi a very obliging moon. As the weird song faded to its end, the lights flickered before completely shutting off, and the dining hall filled with shouts of approval and applause. Everyone got on their feet in the dark, and Yuuji turned on the centermost stadium light, under which Kasumi stood, back straight and head bowed as before.

Tae was so ecstatic, she found herself weaving through the tables and calling out to her best friend before launching another lung-crushing embrace. Kasumi tried to hear past her high-pitched words, most of what was spoken through the air sounded so foreign. When the lights went out one last time, Kasumi urged Tae to disengage and run with her quickly to the kitchen. Yuuji counted to five turned the lights back on and walked through the disappointed murmurs and sighs to the kitchen, where the ruckus continued.

The chef led everyone in a cheer that made Kasumi blush to the roots of her hair. When they were done, they scurried the trays of food into the waiting arms of the servers, and one by one they filed out of the kitchen in rehearsed regalia.

Disappointment turned into delight when the food arrived at everyone's table. The biggest men on each table called out cheers and held their glasses towards Sanosuke and Katsu's table.

"Score on the restaurant, Katsu!"

"Sweet show! Can we get an encore?"

"I wanna eat here again tomorrow night!"

"Forget that, I'll pay to get a private performance!"

Sanosuke's eyes shifted at the last comment to the table closest to the center of the dining hall. It figured that it would come from Santorini, the Sicilian fighter with a lethal left hook and a penchant for the beautiful. One would think that he'd have enough on his plate with all the busty blondes and brunettes surrounding him at the table, but apparently he now has his eyes set on someone more exotic from the Land of the Rising Sun. He wouldn't be putting his meat hooks on Kasumi if Sanosuke could do anything about it, and he could do plenty. As he watched Katsu stand to honor their visitors' praise, Sanosuke wondered why he was being so protective over someone he hasn't even met. Yet.

Clearing his throat, Katsu poured out the suave. "Thanks, everyone. I'm glad you liked my pick. This happens to be my favorite restaurant."

"I can see why!" someone piped from the back. Everyone laughed.

"Well, as you guys heard earlier, it's not every time they get a professional to drop your jaws in awe."

More laughter.

"The owner of this restaurant went through a lot to convince our entertainment to even give us the time of day, so I suggest making it convincingly worth her while if we're ever to have a chance at another show."

From a far corner of the restaurant, Tae was all ears and grinning at what Katsu was about to do. As she helped a server unload the plates of food onto a party's table, she listened to Katsu's steady voice.

"I, for one, am a fan of the arts, and as _much_ more as I would like to see another performance," he paused as he takes out his wallet and unloads a stack of bills on the table. "A hundred thousand yen _more_ to be exact… I'm sure you all are budding fans as well."

"Pssh, like one on steroids!" shouted the man wearing the cut-off shirt, followed by a slam on the table with what looked like a thicker stack of bills.

"What? That's puny shit compared to how big a fan I've become!"

_Slam!_ A tall stack of cash.

This went on for a while, until every table had money piled high like they were all playing poker. Tae had to hand it to Katsu; the man knew how to strike and ignite the ego of fighters. With all the testosterone coursing in their veins, it was too easy. Kasumi would walk away from the restaurant a very happy woman.

"I can see that all of you want to show your enthusiasm for this lady to come back." Katsu motioned for several of his crew to collect the money and keep track of how much was given by whom, and when it was all done, the money was handed to smiling Tae.

"Sekihara-san, we have put all our resources together for you to lobby for a repeat performance. Could you please let her know how much we enjoyed it?"

Tae politely bowed to everyone. "I will do my best to find out if she can be persuaded." And she did just that, taking the money with her along with every one's hope in a large envelope.

At this, everyone happily turned to their plates and devoured what they could, lively chatter and boisterous conversations filled the room once more. Katsu was about to sink his teeth into his Kobe steak when Sanosuke threw an arm around his shoulders. The fork holding the steak lowered.

"Bro, I roll straight. I thought you knew that by now."

Sanosuke snickered. "Oh, I most definitely do. What I want from you is information."

"Yeah? I thought you'd've paid for it like the rest of the men here."

"That's why you come in _so _handy."

Katsu allowed himself to take a bite of his food, savoring the meat before speaking up. "Sano, I'ma make myself clear on this. Kasumi is my girl's best friend. I really respect this chick, and I don't want you wasting her time if you're just gonna play around—"

"Katsu, ask me how she was able to move like that."

A drink.

"You mean, how she was dancing?"

"No, I mean the way she moved from table to table in the few seconds the lights were off."

Katsu stopped moving to think. Sitting next to him was a man he considered his brother and best friend ever since he could remember. He knew how his brain ticked, and back in their days at the orphanage, he understood how he went about to make a point. This was one of them. "It's possible she could run to each table… I mean, they're kinda close to each other."

Sanosuke shook his head. "With two or three seconds in a kimono?"

"Then how?"

He smirked. "She jumped."

"What?"

"Yup."

"I didn't see that! Plus she'd be too winded to dance through the song!"

"If you counted how many beats it took for the lights to flicker off, and the way she shielded her face from the nose down, she was able to make it look as if moving to the tempo of the music was cake, when in actuality it took a lot of effort to not show her breathing."

Katsu cut another piece of his steak and chewed on it along with Sanosuke's explanation. He was right. Sanosuke was frighteningly accurate when it came to perceiving movement. It was his talent. That is, when he was actually paying attention. And if he was paying attention, then he certainly was serious about getting information from him because Sanosuke did not display that kind of concentration when he wasn't fighting.

Point proven.

Wiping his lips with the dinner napkin, he turned to his friend. "I'm warning you, Sano. No games."

Sanosuke shook his head. "No games, Katsu."

Satisfied with the sincerity on his face, he sighed. "All right. What do you want to know?"

Grin.

"Everything."

* * *

Sighing in fatigue, Kasumi plopped ungracefully onto Tae's executive chair. How very unbecoming of a lady, she imagined her mother telling her, and then be taught again on how to sit in step-by-step fashion. She blinked and wondered if she'll ever get the chance to see her again. Taking out the fans that she placed in the pockets of her sleeves, she opened one and tossed it in her hand. She hoped that her little stunt that evening helped Tae and Katsu, even if it was very improvised and non-traditional. Kasumi knew that her legs were going to scream bloody murder by tomorrow, and fancy that, she was going to be on-call tomorrow. Not fun.

But even chances such as this were very few – to be clothed in silken perfection, to move like a mirage, to feel alive again.

And most importantly, the opportunity to _earn_ for the chance to see her parents again.

As she reached into her purse for her cell phone, she secretly hoped that Tae could deliver behind her promise. She was relieved to see no calls from the hospital because as much as she loved her profession, she didn't like the overnight hours she'd have to spend that sometimes drove her insane. When she replaced her phone in her purse, the office door flew open and gave way to an ecstatic Tae.

"Omigosh, you can't possibly guess how much you made tonight!"

Kasumi was clueless, shrugging. "I don't know… four times the amount you promised me?"

Tae's grin got bigger and bigger. She took the large envelope she had been hiding behind her back and dumped all the cash out for her to see on her desk. "Try four times two hundred fifty thousand yen." Tae's shrill laughter at Kasumi's disbelief only fueled her excitement, throwing Kasumi a bear hug.

Not only did Tae deliver, she delivered the bank.

"This is some kind of joke, right?"

Giggle.

"Nope, this is the real deal!"

She was still skeptical. Kasumi was far too realistic.

"There has to be some kind of catch."

Tae loosened her hold and left an arm around Kasumi's shoulders. "Actually, it's grease money from the crowd to get you to do an encore. I told them that I'd do my best to _find out_ if you could be persuaded, but not to be successful in persuading you, so either way you and I get to sleep guilt-free tonight." She unlatched herself from her best friend and started making stacks with the money, placing a rubber band around the counted ones. "Kasumi, I know you're under no obligation to do this again, but good grief, you just made more money than you could for a whole month working at the hospital! And how did you move from one table to another like that? It was like I blinked and you were somewhere else! Anyway, I think you should just reconsider their request while all these people are in town, because they're throwing money away like day-old bread at a bakery!"

Kasumi wasn't really listening to Tae's chatter until she said, "Now you don't have to wait so long to save up for that house you want to buy." She came right back down to earth and mentally got on her toes. That's right. All this time, Tae thinks that she'd been scrimping to buy real estate. She let her think so all these years, she would maintain that thought in her mind for as long as she can. Just until she can use that money as a means to a happier end. Then maybe later on she can tell her the truth.

Maybe.

"Oh, and what were those square tin foils you left at each table, Kasumi? Is it some kind of party favor?"

Thank God Tae was one to have flight of ideas when she was happy. Kasumi wasn't quite prepared to deal with money and 'real estate' issues right now. "Actually, it's a little code."

"Code?"

"I asked Abe-san what he had in mind for dessert. He said he didn't have anything special, so I thought I'd throw in some guest participation."

"Oh?! Tell me, tell me!"

Kasumi laughed. "The squares are actually colored on one side, and they coincide with the fruit color they can get for dessert. If the table can guess what fruit goes with the color, they get to have dessert on the house."

Tae quirked a brow at her.

"Don't worry, my enterprising friend. Abe-san said that if he doesn't serve the peaches by tonight, they'll be rotten by tomorrow. He planned on making baked tarts out of them, and if the table guesses incorrectly on the fruit, they'll get peach tarts as a consolation prize. That way, the peaches are consumed, the guests still get dessert and pay for them, and everybody's happy."

How happy Tae was to have a friend who knew how her mind worked. So why now throw in another money-making stunt? "Then for those who get it right, how about _you_ serve them the dessert as a bonus? I mean, with the way they're so crazy about you right now, there's no telling how much more they'd tip you!"

Kasumi paused. She had a good reason to be driven when the earning potential was good, but to take advantage of the gift her mother gave her? Chewing on the inside of her lower lip, she caved in. She already let them see what only a privileged few had seen in the past. Playing waitress after the fact couldn't be any worse.

"Only if you think they can behave themselves… those boys are scary big, and the cat calls weren't very reassuring."

"Then get ready to make more money, Kasumi." The smile on Tae's face flashed like shiny new coins.

The dining hall was abuzz with enthusiasm and chatter after Tae announced the little game that Kasumi suggested. People at each table debated and deliberated on their final answers, whereas other tables had people arguing with loud voices to convince the other that their choice of fruit would be the correct one. At first Tae was worried, but when she heard those loud voices laughing throughout their arguments, she knew it was ego and testosterone talking.

At the Tsukioka table, the people were divided.

"Dude, I'm telling you, yellow's gotta be mango."

"What? We're in Japan, you dope. Tropical fruit won't grow here."

"I got it! It's star fruit, man!"

Katsu's head was shaking. "Again, that's a tropical fruit. Try again."

"What if they imported it?"

Katsu shrugged.

"Man, this shit's kinda hard… there's a lot of yellow fruit out there."

"How about bananas?"

"Possible."

"Does it have to be yellow on the outside, or can it be yellow on the inside?"

"Hey, that's a good question, Sano."

"Lemons?"

"Does that taste good as a dessert?"

"Who cares? It's freakin' yellow!"

"How about pineapple?" suggested Sanosuke.

A chorus of oohs. Pineapple tarts were conceivably good.

Sanosuke squinted at the square tin foil. "Can't you just ask Tae? You're exclusive with the owner, for crying out loud."

"I already know she won't tell me. Just look at her, man," he motioned for Sanosuke to look at Tae standing at the reservation desk, laughing. "She's having too much fun."

Sanosuke sighed in exasperation. Katsu enjoyed his frustration, because it was rare for his friend to show such impatient eagerness to see and meet a woman who wasn't chasing after him for his money or title. And knowing who Kasumi was, she wasn't the type at all. It was going to be fun to see him twist in his seat when their table's turn comes up.

One by one, Tae came by to get answers from each table, and so far not one of them got the answer right. As soon as they gave a wrong answer, servers took their cue in bringing the peach tarts to the tables. Tae saved Katsu's table for last, and when she got to his table, they almost barked their final answer in unison.

"Pineapple!"

Tae faced away from their table and towards the middle of the dining hall. "We have a winning table! Congratulations, your dessert will be out shortly!"

Shouts of cheer and high-fives erupted from the men.

In the kitchen, several of the kitchen staff fought over the chance to accompany Kasumi with the tray of desserts. Outside, Tae signaled one of the servers to shut the lights off three times for every count of five, and watching eyes of the dining hall got a glimpse of Kasumi once more, seeming to appear and reappear closer and closer toward the Tsukioka table. Katsu wanted to laugh at Sanosuke. He couldn't take his eyes off Kasumi.

She bowed to them before placing dessert on the table one by one, every movement as graceful and smooth as she was taught as a little girl. Sanosuke seemed to be holding his breath until she spoke.

"Congratulations, and thank you for indulging us with your presence," Kasumi said with the humility of a well-taught geisha as she bowed again.

A nervous little voice piped out of one of their crew. "Th-thank you for being so beautiful… I mean! S-so kind…"

Sanosuke squinted at the man who spoke at their table. He wanted to be the one to say something first. Before he could open his mouth to assert himself, he saw Kasumi's half prostrated posture jerked straight, and his blood boiled at the cause of her surprise.

"Beautiful goddess of the East," the gravelly voice of Santorini said as he pulled Kasumi by the forearm closer to him. "I deserve another look at your beauty. Come with me to my table so that I may worship—"

Katsu didn't even see Sanosuke get up from his seat, he was already wrenching Santorini's grasp from Kasumi's forearm. "What the hell, Santorini! A little respect and keep your meathooks to yourself!"

Tae didn't like this at all. She was about to come over and try to prevent the altercation from escalating any further when she saw Katsu's head shake for her to stay where she was.

"Come on, Zanza. I'm just having a little fun."

"Yeah? You can have fun with me in the ring in three days, just hands off the lady, all right?"

The man from Sicily snorted. "Feh, there won't be anything left of you by then to keep me from her."

"I'd like to see you try." Sanosuke's hands slowly balled into fists.

Katsu had to do something. He stood between the two and laughed.

"Wow, why in the hell didn't you guys tell me you wanted to do the TV advertisement for the fight series? You guys are unbelievably good at this!"

Both men were still postured to fight and didn't break the menacing gazes each had for the other. After a few more seconds, Santorini backed down.

"Of course, Katsu, I am the best fighter for the job."

Inwardly relieved, Katsu kept the ego stroked. "Let me know when you want to do the clip for it, the producers will be thrilled." Katsu playfully clapped Santorini on the shoulder and ushered him back to his table where the catty women eyed Kasumi in jealousy. As soon as he was paces away from them, Sanosuke turned to Kasumi.

"Are you all right, miss?"

Kasumi's pupils must've been so dilated in fear that she had to blink. Before she could say anything, Sanosuke gently held her forearm out. "Can I see if he left a bruise on you?"

Wordlessly, she nodded. As he slid the soft silk sleeve over her skin, it was interesting to find herself being doctored by a complete stranger whose fingers felt rough and calloused against her skin. She chanced to look up at her savior, and he was a surprisingly tall Japanese man with hair that defied gravity. As her eyes studied his youthful brow, she watched it furrow with a curse. She followed his gaze down to her forearm to see angry red silhouettes of fingers against her skin. They would likely blacken into bruises by tomorrow.

"I'm so sorry… if I'd've been quicker, you wouldn't have gone through this," he said so quietly that she almost didn't hear him. She'll be all right, it'd be no different from getting her knees bruised every time she knocks her locker open at the hospital.

"I am the one to apologize, sir, for it seems I have caused conflict between you and your colleague." When she looked up at his eyes, his cheeks were flushed red.

"N-no, please don't apologize… it's not like anyone likes him. Truth is every hates his guts." His face straightened a little from his embarrassment. "And I'm going to make him pay for every millimeter of bruising on your skin." She let the corners of her mouth turn up as she closed her eyes, and again Sanosuke was spellbound.

"Please do not engage in violence on my account," she said as she reached to recover her forearm under the sleeve, and his fingers reluctantly let go. "There will be no commotion if I was not present, so it would be more convenient for me to leave."

She didn't expect the crushed look of disappointment in his stare. "Oh no, please don't do this to your fans because I was too slow."

_In other words, please don't punish me…_

Kasumi was relieved that there were still good guys in this world, and judging from the physique underneath his black shirt, he was a force to be reckoned with should one be against him. Both regarded each other for several silent seconds, she from a medical perspective, he from a beguiled one. The clearing of someone's throat snapped their gazes away from each other and towards Katsu, who successfully placated the Sicilian bull back to his pen of playmates.

"Kasumi-san, I am very sorry for that little tussle," he said, scratching the side of his head.

Kasumi smiled and forgave him, missing the painful nudge Sanosuke gave Katsu while she momentarily looked at the floor.

"Uh, Kasumi-san, I want to introduce someone to you," Katsu added, wincing. "This is my friend, brother, bread and butter, Sagara Sanosuke. Sano, this is Tae's best gal pal in the world, Shirakawa Kasumi."

The whole table stifled chuckles at the awkwardness of Sanosuke's nervous bow that he nearly bumped heads with Kasumi. She hid her grin at the gal pal introduction. Katsu was so playful. Pretty soon, the other men asked to be introduced to Kasumi as well, and after a round of bows, she urged them to eat their dessert while it was still hot, and then apologized once more for ruining the atmosphere.

"Shirakawa-san, we know it's not your fault at all, but at this point, I would do just about anything to see you perform again. Even sell my kidney on the black market. When can we see you again?" The rest of their table, along with everyone else who was listening agreed in unison.

_Damn it_, Sanosuke groused. _Why's everyone thinking like me?_

Kasumi briefly imagined the man donating his kidney at her hospital and saving someone's life. Surely these people couldn't be that desperate to see her parade around with fans.

"… I am not quite ready to give you an answer, kind sir." Her mother would gush with pride if she could only hear how she was speaking. "If it pleases you, I will alert the proprietor when it has become convenient for me to do so."

The men were more than pleased, and the Santorini fellow was fuming in envy when she stayed with Katsu's table until they were finished with their dessert. When they servers came to pick up the plates, she took her leave.

"Thank you for being so kind to me, gentlemen." She then turned to Sanosuke. "And Sagara-san, thank you for coming to my aid. I'm afraid I am indebted to you."

Katsu was close to laughing out loud at his slack-jawed friend who remained silent, until she turned to walk away.

"Will you come to the fight then?" he blurted out, making her stop in her tracks. The way her eyes looked down at the floor made Sanosuke brace for rejection.

"… Three days from now is Tuesday…"

Hope.

"Yes. If you can, please come."

The whole table followed with a chorus of pleas, and it made Katsu wonder how a woman could make a polite man out of Sanosuke. Human weapons were not trained to be polite.

Kasumi didn't really know her schedule that far ahead, it changed so often that she gave up keeping track. And she didn't really like owing people favors, and Tae was the only exception.

"If I am not preoccupied, then shall I let you know?"

"Yes, please!" _Oh my God, please!_

She bowed once more and met his eyes one last time. "Good evening then, Sagara-san." She then left the dining hall and disappeared into the kitchen where two of the servers held the doors open for her.

Hoots and jeers flew at Sanosuke, and Katsu was the loudest of all of them. To think that Sagara "Zanza" Sanosuke, three-time fighting champion, was reduced to a nervous wimp in front of his girl's best friend… it was a first. He was so stoked by it that he bought his table another round of drinks. The hardest thing for him now was to get his friend to stop looking at his cell phone for that call in the next three days, and he snickered at the fact that Sanosuke was so drunk with happiness, he didn't even think to give her his number.


	2. Chapter 2

"Code blue in the Emergency Room, code blue in the Emergency Room, code blue in the Emergency Room."

As Kasumi fought the urge to yawn, she struggled to put one foot ahead of the other, with the arm holding her metal clipboard hanging limply against her side. Although indulging Tae with that favor which reaped some profitable rewards, her whole body was paying for it. She mentally scolded herself for forgetting to stretch before the dance, for muscles she forgot she had screamed bloody murder with each step. She had yet to cross the connecting walkway toward the main building, and she was still in the pediatric ward. Why did ER have to be so far?

As much as she would've liked to run to the ER, her legs refused to move any faster. She hoped and prayed that the three attending doctors had the emergency room covered, and banked on the fact that there were enough resident doctors and interns to help out. Walking through the glass-walled walkway, her eyes strayed to the expanse of the south lawn and thought back to the days when she was an intern. The sleepless nights and verbal lashings from her senior residents were just about as pleasant a memory as the crippling soreness of her legs at the moment. Potassium might be good right about now. She considered getting a banana from the cafeteria.

Step.

Grimace.

Or perhaps ask a helpless intern to get one for her.

She was about to make the turn into the main building when her cell phone vibrated. She smiled when she saw the name of the caller.

"The answer is no," she greeted sweetly.

Shock.

"What? How do you even know what I was going to ask you?!"

Laugh.

"Tae, it's not even noon yet, and you never call this early unless it's some kind of _request_. By the way, good morning."

Amused.

"Good morning to you, too, booger. Listen, this isn't even for me. This is for Katsu."

So it _was _a request. But from Katsu? Kasumi was puzzled.

"Remember Sano, the guy he introduced you to a couple of nights ago?"

The memory of intense, scrutinizing brown eyes flashed in her mind.

"Katsu asked me to give you his number because he was too tongue-tied to give it to you. And who wouldn't be, you were all sorts of gorgeous that night!"

Kasumi was finally in the main building as she rolled her eyes at her flattery. She did promise to call this Sano person back, and as a manner of habit, she tried to stay true to her word. What was his full name again? Looking at the date on her watch, she decided that it wouldn't hurt to jot the number down if her schedule opened up. She clicked her pen and took out a little notebook from her lab coat pocket.

"So what's the number and name again? I've got pen and paper ready."

"So you'll call?" Tae sounded a little too much like she was making this into some sort of hook-up.

"I have to keep promises when I can."

After some squealish jibberish, Tae dictated the number to Kasumi along with the location of the fight. She had no idea what to expect, Kasumi had never been to a mixed martial arts fight event before, nor had the thought ever crossed her mind.

"So when do you think you'll call him?"

"I don't know, I still have a lot to do," Kasumi said as she replaced her notebook and pen in her pocket. "But I'll make sure I call, okay?"

"Thank you soo much, Kasumi! Want me to send over some food?"

From Tae's restaurant? Kasumi never refused that. "Can you make enough for two? I want to share with Dr. Ito."

"Will do. Tell him I said hello, and that my restaurant misses him and his very generous wife."

Grin.

"I will. Okay, I gotta go help out at ER."

Letting out a sigh, Kasumi flagged down a hospital attendant with an empty wheelchair and received a funny look from him when she asked to be wheeled to the ER.

* * *

From the moment he got up to start his day till the ungraceful fall onto his bed at midnight, his cell phone was never far from his grasp. Even when he took showers, he put the ring volume of his phone on the loudest setting, sealed it in a Ziploc bag and placed it within an arm's reach, just in case she decided to call at eleven thirty at night.

Or while he was working out at the gym on the third set of his three hundred-pound bench presses.

Or in the cage while sparring with a few of his unlucky trainers.

Or two days later when Katsu finally told him he never gave his number to Kasumi to begin with and was charging madly behind Katsu's fleeing backside, zigzagging across the parking lot of their training facility.

"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner, you idiot! I've been waiting for that damn phone to ring for the last forty-eight hours, and now you tell me I'm never gonna hear from her 'cause she doesn't have my digits?!" Sano was able to catch up to his manager who was trying not to laugh and at the same time struggling for breath. His grip around his neck was turning him blue.

"Dude, I thought you'd figure it out by now!" When Sano's grip grew tighter, Katsu managed to kick him in the shin and scrambled away from him, half laughing, half relieved. It just confirmed what he had thought from the beginning. "Sano, you really like this woman, don't you?"  
"I'm never really gonna know for sure now, am I, since she doesn't have my fucking number!" Sano ran a hand through his hair in frustration. How very interesting for Katsu.

"If it makes you feel any better, I rang Tae up earlier to call Kasumi to relay your number to her."

"Really?"

Laughter.

"Oh good, I guess we're friends again."

Sano was silent for a moment, not knowing if he should strangle his manager who has been his best friend since diapers or shake his hand for patching up his mistake when he was so starry-eyed in Kasumi's presence. Finally, he shook his head in retrospect. "Shit, I guess I was so distracted I forgot to tell her."

"She _was_ pretty distracting that night, Sano. I think everyone was a little dazzled, even Tae."

"Don't tell me you like Kasumi-san, too," the fighter scoffed. Katsu kept laughing at him.

"Fortunately for you, I only have eyes for the only woman who understands the methods behind my madness. Wait, is that the stench of jealousy streaming from you pores, Sano?"

He knew better than to provoke him, because he was again running away from Sanosuke, circling around cars and screaming like the orphans they were back then. Sanosuke had never been too serious with women, and seeing him so worked up over one left him open for so many jabs, it was like a field day for Katsu. While jumping over a motorcycle, Katsu secretly prayed that Kasumi would end his best friend's agony and call.

* * *

Pacing back and forth by the nurses' station in the pediatric ward, Yuuji looked at clock above him once more. It had been thirty minutes since he got there, and he was under strict orders to make sure it was Kasumi who took the take-out boxes herself. He supposed that many other people have taken them away in the past without ever getting to Kasumi, and imagining the poor doctor go hungry was something that made him frown.

And that made him wonder once more… why would a doctor even waste her time working at Tae's restaurant? He was a newbie at Tae's joint, and he's only seen her once or twice at the restaurant waiting table alongside Tae when things got really busy. But when he found out that she was a physician, working at this same hospital where he was delivered eighteen years ago, the thought of her dressed like a Japanese dream and dancing like she did was almost just that. Except he knew he wasn't dreaming then, because he was there when it happened. He had a lot to be grateful for the experience. It got him back to mixing music again.

"Yuuji-kun, I'm terribly sorry for the wait."

He turned around to see a smiling Kasumi despite the obvious fatigue on her brow. In her dress clothes and pristine white coat, she looked like something out of a medical journal, not the silken doll that moved with feline grace two nights ago. He had no idea he was staring until she called out to him again.

"Yuuji-kun?"

Jolt.

"I, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude," he stuttered, his hands nervously rubbing the sides of his thighs. Finally remembering why he was there, he took the bento boxes wrapped in restaurant linen and handed it to her with a bow. "Please eat them soon before they get cold."

"Thank you so much for bringing them, I haven't had a bite to eat yet," she said, taking the load from his hands.

"Um, if you'd like, I can bring you breakfast, too."

Kasumi blinked. "But the restaurant doesn't open till lunch time."

"Oh yeah… I… guess I can learn how to make breakfast?"

"That's really nice of you, Yuuji-kun, but don't bother yourself on my account. This is more than good enough," she assured, motioning to the food.

"But! But… I just wanted to thank you… I mean, I want to cheer you on and support you and mix more music for you to dance to…"

There must've been a deeper reason why he was stumbling with his words, but Kasumi couldn't plumb it at this point. She watched him fidget with a puzzled grin.

"What I really mean to say is, I'm so grateful you chose me to help you with music, and because of you, I got back on the turntables again. So if you ever need anything, music help or anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask."

Past the orange hair and ear piercings, Yuuji was a well-mannered boy. His parents should be proud. Well, of the well-mannered part. "I should be the one thanking you, Yuuji-kun. If it wasn't for you and your music, I wouldn't have been able to do anything and Tae would've lost a lot of business. Thank you for being around."

It was the first time he was complimented just for existing in this world, and Yuuji felt as if he could cry. He pursed his lips and shut his eyes as if to dam up tears, but then was surprised when she took his elbow.

"What happened here, Yuuji-kun?" she asked, her gaze studying the gaping blood-encrusted wound that covered the back of his arm.

"That? Nothing, I just fell off my bike and skinned it, I guess."

It looked like he fell and skidded on a knife to Kasumi. "Well, regardless of the reason, I can't let you leave without getting this taken care of. Here, hold this for me, wait here and call Tae, tell her you're having your wound tended to. I'll be back with some antiseptic and bandages."

He watched her go with the bento boxes back in his hands, and within breaths he was corralled into a treatment room, his wound cleaned, topically medicated and stitched up. As he listened to her instructions on how to care for his wound and a gentle reminder on bicycle safety, Yuuji was reminded of how much he missed his deceased mother of four years.

* * *

After finding his young colleague fast asleep in the guest chair, Dr. Kubo felt sorry for Kasumi. As quietly as he could, he walked behind his desk, sat down and checked the work schedule on his laptop. Then he tiptoed past Kasumi and stepped outside his office to make a call.

"Admin, please… yes, Naoko-san? Dr. Kubo. Listen, I need a really big favor, the one that pays back with milk chocolatey goodness with whipped cream on top."

Tickled.

"Yes, doctor. Naoko-chan is all ears."

"I need you to call Dr. Ito in to take over an on-call shift, just till midnight. Say it's to cover ER. They always need help in there."

"That jerk? I'll do that for you without the sweets. If you want, I can schedule him to be on-call for the next year."

Laughter.

"Now now, Naoko-san, we have to be judicious with these things…"

Pout.

"I guess… anyway, it's done. All I gotta do now is call the snake. Anything else, Dr. Kubo?"

"That's it, dear."

"Oh, by the way, please ask your wife if she'd like to join all of us for Mika-chan's birthday. I can't let her miss out on all the fun."

Dr. Kubo was really touched that Naoko was so considerate of his wife. "I will, thank you for inviting her."

"I would invite you, too, but I'm sorry to be brutally honest, your wife told me you sing like a bulldog off-key."

Dr. Kubo laughed so hard, it woke Kasumi up.

* * *

Staring at the Genzai estate, she didn't know what happened that allowed her to get here. All she could hazily remember was Dr. Kubo laughing so hard, his belly shaking like Santa Claus', and then something about covered shifts and a swift ushering to the nurses' station where they all walked her out of the building, making sure she got the idea that she didn't have to work the rest of her shift. Getting on and off the train was also vague to her, and of all places, she ended up at Dr. Genzai's house. She must've been that tired.

By the time she was received by Dr. Genzai and his two granddaughters, she was wide awake. The tea the little girls served her helped a lot. They fawned all over Megumi, and they loved having her over whenever she visited.

"Megumi-neesan, can you stay the night with us, please? Ojii-chan got me this really neat book, can you read it to us, please?" The one tugging at her dress pants was the youngest of the two girls, Suzume, age five.

"Megumi-neesan, I got volunteered by my class for the school talent show. I don't know what to do, please help me!" Ayame tugged at her hands. She was seven.

"All right, you two, let Megumi-chan settle down a bit, she looks a bit tired from work," piped Dr. Genzai. The girls chorused a noncommittal 'yes' to their grandfather and promised to chat with her more after playing outside. When they ran out the front door, Megumi allowed her straight posture to fall into her seat.

"I heard from Kubo you're getting harassed again by this Ito fellow."

Megumi waved him off. "Ugh, that guy is all bark and no teeth to bite. Rather annoying though. I'm okay."

"Want me to rough him up?"

Her tired visage perked up to an amused grin. "Who are you and what have you done with my dear Dr. Genzai?"

He laughed and got up from his seat. "I guess I hear it a little often. So how are you?" he asked as he walked to the kitchen to get some cookies the girls helped him make. "I wish you'd visit more often, Megumi-chan. The girls ask about you all the time."

Megumi's expression softened and watched the old man pour her another cup of tea. "It feels good to hear my name again."

Dr. Genzai paused at the comment, taking a moment to study Megumi's face. How long had it been since he ran into her in an alleyway while taking a short cut to the next street… two years? Maybe longer? He took the plate of cookies and the tea to where they sat, recounting how battered and bruised she was, barely leaning against the building walls for support. His heart went out to her when he realized she was the daughter of his good friend and colleague from undergraduate school, Takani Ryuusei. For a while, he thought that the reason for his unreturned calls was because he and his wife were extremely busy with medical research in Europe. Not until Megumi woke up from a two-day slumber did she reveal what really happened to her parents, and Dr. Genzai shed rare tears for his good friend. He then nursed her back to health, introduced her to all his colleagues and found her a position at Dr. Kubo's hospital. He took care of all the documents needed to bury her name, and looked after her like his own daughter. He saw how his orphaned granddaughters craved for her time and attention, and Megumi filled the role of both mother and sister whenever she could.

For now, she was Takani Megumi, the youngest physician from the house of Takani. And as it seems, the only member left of the Takani family. Dr. Genzai was afraid to ask her for news.

"Megumi-chan…"

"I earned a lot of money two nights ago."

"…Really?"

Nod.

"Did you finally win the lottery?"

Shake.

"I'm afraid I did something that my mother would punish me for."

The old man knew of her mother's dancing reputation even before Ryuusei got engaged to her. Dr. Genzai was even there for her sixteenth birthday banquet, and oh, how surprised he was to see Megumi dance before them all! He had never seen her mother dance before, but if she had taught her how to move like she did, he could only imagine the pliant exquisiteness she handed down to her only daughter. He didn't want her to sound so guilty, whatever she did. She'd been through enough.

"Well, if it's any consolation to you, I won't tell her."

She smiled and so did he. They talked about the kids, how smart they're becoming and how tall they're growing. In the middle of a discussion about Ayame's school talent show, Megumi's cell rang. Without looking at the caller's identity, she answered the phone, only to straighten from her slouched position and respond with agreement and gratitude.

"Yes, I have an hour or two to spare… I'll leave right now… about ten minutes away… very good, I'll see you soon." Hanging up, she replaced her cell in her pocket before standing. "I have to go, Dr. Genzai. They need me to stand in for someone at the bar."

Dr. Genzai quietly wrapped the cookies carefully in a napkin, his face thoughtful. "Please, Megumi-chan, don't work yourself ragged… I told you I can help you with money."

She took the cookies in one hand and touched his with her other. "I will have no one else involved in this, Dr. Genzai. I'll earn it all soon enough." And in a faint, bitter tone, "even if it means debasing my mother's family tradition."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," he said. Megumi was so blessed that she still had someone who cared about her.

"I'm still young, and I can do it. I have to. It's the only way I can see them again."

A knowing silence passed between them, their eyes communicating assurance and assent. When he finally gave her hand a squeeze and a pat, he let her take her leave allowed her to slip quietly through the back door. There was no need to rile the kids up, especially when it mattered so much to Megumi's cause.

* * *

Sitting in his warm-up gear on a bench outside the training facility, he watched with boredom as his crew carried equipment and gear like worker ants out of the training hall and into their van. He felt like a prima donna for sitting there like some spoiled star, but he was too deflated to care. With his fight only three hours away, he gave into the possibility that Kasumi was never going to give him the time of day. And why should she? He was only a fighter, someone who made a living off his fists, and she, she was this magically agile, ridiculously beautiful woman that had him dazed stupid.

There went the punching bag.

He sighed.

Too late to pound out his frustrations now.

It was just like him to make fun of himself right before a fight, but today was an especially low point for him. _Look at me, world. Three-time champion, and I can't even get my wits together to even say something intelligent to a woman I probably won't have the chance to see again…_

He sighed once more.

The medical kits were loaded next.

What was it that Katsu told him? She was a little older than him, he wasn't sure. She worked in the medical field, but which one he wasn't sure. Her marital status, where she lived, Katsu wasn't sure about those things, either. _Damn it, what _was_ he sure about?_ With Katsu not knowing much more than him, Sanosuke was at least sure that Katsu was telling the truth when he said he wasn't interested in Kasumi at all, otherwise he'd be telling him what shoe size she wore and where she buys her ice cream. It's sad when he was more sure about something than his manager was.

If he sighed one more time, he was going to punch something.

"Hey, put your cool on, Sano," approached Katsu in his dapper charcoal grey colored suit. "Don't tell me you're still thinking about her."

The pout on his face said it all.

"She hasn't called yet?"

Another frown.

"Dude, she'll call. She's a nice person like that. Maybe she's just really busy. And besides, you don't know how super _un_cool you look right now. Fighters are supposed to look hard. Come on, show me that haaard look, Sano."

Katsu's words picked the corners of his mouth into a grin.

"Well, there's nothing I can do about it now. If she calls, she calls. If not, I'll just beat my disappointment into Santorini."

His manager clapped his muscled shoulder. "That's what I'm talkin' about. So, you ready to go?"

Sanosuke looked at his watch. "Not really. It takes thirty minutes to get there and we got three hours to kill."

"Hn, point taken." Katsu looked at his watch as well. "Okay then, why don't you go change and I'll take you to this joint a friend of mine owns? It's happy hour right now, and I'm sure they'll all be happy to see you. Plus, we can rally more people to watch the fight."

The fighter regarded his manager with renewed respect. Katsu was never one to stop promoting his fights or his career. Wherever they went, whether they were on a plane or sitting next to a complete stranger, Katsu's gift of gab always tickled the curiosity and won them over. Sanosuke wasn't the highest paid fighter in Japan for nothing. His fists did the winning, and Katsu's persuasive words produced profitable spectators.

They made a great team.

"Cool. Let's go then."

* * *

"_If you could be anything you wanted when you grow up, what would you like to be?"_

_Smile._

_"I wanna be like you, Daddy!"_

_Flattered._

_"Really? You don't wanna be like Mommy?"_

_Thoughtful._

_"I wanna be like Mommy, too, but I want to grow up big and smart so I can listen to hearts like you and dance like Mommy!"_

_Indulgent._

_"Wah, such good goals! What about boys, do you want to become a bride someday?"_

_Disgust._

_"Eeew… boys are gross."_

_Laughter._

_"Why?"_

_"Because they eat dirt, and when they pick their noses, they eat boogers, too."_

* * *

She was greeted amicably by the security guard standing by the tall wooden door inside the old establishment, an unassuming building tucked between neon-covered storefronts on either side. Approaching the bartender, she was received warmly and asked to wait for another man to lead her to what seemed like the back of the building. Along the hallway were the men's and ladies' room, and a beat-up door that was marked as the janitorial closet.

Or so it said.

Seeing no one behind them, the man opened the closet door and let her in first, then tapped on the floorboards four times with his foot after he closed the door.

A signal.

It was amusing to her that someone nearly as old as the building they were in was so insistent on his privacy to the degree of having to hide a wooden-floored ballroom underground, just so he and his friends could dance and drink as much as they pleased without criticism. It suited her needs just fine, and she respected the reasons for his need of privacy. She wasn't one to judge. She knew what it was like to have something to hide. His was just a lot less serious.

Narrow stairs spiraled down and led to bright, shiny floors, with small tables and chairs outlining the edges of the ballroom. By the far wall was a stage where the band played, and depending on the owner's mood, different musicians of all sorts were employed to suit his dancing fancy. It helped that money wasn't an issue with her employer for this evening, and his friends were quite the generous tippers. It was the only reason why she took on the job and bothered Dr. Genzai to lend her his cello to practice. If it hadn't been for the old man Yamashita's appendix nearly rupturing in the ER, she would've never met him and the opportunity to make thousands of yen would've never been a possibility for her mediocre music skill.

At least that's what she thought of it.

"Welcome back, little prodigal missy," an older man holding a trombone said to her, a happy grin across his stubble-covered face. "I'm glad you could grace us with your lovely presence tonight."

She played along and curtsied in front of the entire brass section. "Thank you for having me." They all laughed at her.

"So I guess they told you it's tango this early evening, right?"

"Is it?" She scratched the back of one ear. "How's a cello supposed to fit into that?"

"Like Yo-Yo Ma silk on Yamashita-san's dance partner."

Laughs all around.

"Uh, I don't think I'm that good to play like _that_ if that's who they expect to hear."

"Don't worry, they're lucky enough we're here. It's about forty-five minutes of music total. Shouji and the brass gang will be sitting this one out."

Shouji was a trumpet player who was a few years older than her, as was the rest of the brass section, all sitting by the far corner of the back wall. She asked to see the sheet music for the pieces and her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when she saw the line-up. She had never played a tango piece before, and never for the length of time required of her that night. Kasumi unconsciously brought her left hand's fingertips and warmed them under her breath.

"Kasumi-chan, just let us know when you want to take a break. I'm sure Yamashita and his guests won't mind catching a breather or two in between songs," the guitarist suggested.

She sighed. "I can probably dance the tango better than I can play it. I'm afraid of sounding awful… look at these notes…" She chanced to look up from the sheet music and saw the smiling faces of her fellow musicians.

The grinning guitarist. The passionate violinist. The cheery bandonéon player. The playful pianist.

"Silly girl, this is nothing for you, you who could play Bach's Prelude Number One in her sleep!"

"We're gonna sound great, don't worry!"

"Put it this way, if you mess up, you owe me a date!"

"You'll be fine, the music is really lively, you'll like it, trust me!"

How sweet of all of them to show encouragement, especially when she hasn't practiced in weeks. Despite of their praise, however, she knew her limits. She didn't like the idea of dating an bandonéon player, either, no matter how nice he was. Or maybe it was his age.

"Well then, think about it this way. If you make it through tonight, that means Yamashita-san will be calling you again, and that means _big bucks_!"

Magic buzz words.

_Limit? What limit?_

It was a bit startling to see a sudden look of determination in her eyes from such crestfallen features. They watched her walk past them to find her seat with a cello and bow waiting for her. After putting the sheet music on the stand in front of her, she sat and positioned the cello between her legs. As she took up the bow, she shot a smile at the men before her.

"Have money, will tango. Gentlemen, shall we?"

* * *

When Katsu asked their driver to drop them off in front of such an old building, Sanosuke couldn't believe that it was a bar. After getting inside and seeing the old furniture and the even older bartender, he began to question Katsu's ties with this 'friend' of his.

"Dude, how old is this pal of yours who owns this joint?"

Laugh.

"Old enough to be our grandfather. But, it's cool, he's a really nice man."

Martini.

"How'd you meet him?"

Bottled water.

"Remember a year ago when we went on that huge boat to promote your fight in Germany?"

"… That yacht with all the high-rollers on it?"

"Yeah, that's the one. That was his yacht."

"Shit, he's pretty loaded then."

Gulp.

"I've never had Dom Perignon before until that day."

Katsu grinned. "Keep up with the victories and I'll make sure the Dom pours freely down your throat." His comment earned him a playful slap on the back. Taking another swig of his drink, he turned to the bartender who was cleaning glasses with a cloth. "Sir, do you know if Yamashita-san is around?"

The bartender paused to look at him, thinking of what to say. "Let me check. May I know who's calling on him?"

"Tsukioka Tsunan, Zanza's manager."

The bartender gave him a slight bow before disappearing down the hallway. A couple of minutes later, he came back with the owner of the bar.

"Tsukioka-kun, what brings you to this shabby joint?" the old man greeted with a Santa Claus grin as he firmly shook Katsu's hand.

"Hey, this isn't shabby at all! I like the antique stylings. We thought we'd stop by to say hello, it's been a while. You've met my friend here before, haven't you?"

The old man chuckled. "Yes, how could I forget Zanza. Keeping fit these days, are you, my boy?" he shook Sanosuke's hand next, and the fighter liked the fact that he still had a good grip despite the grey of his hair.

"I try to, sir."

"Sir? There'll be none of that in here. Call me Jii-chan, it sounds nicer."

Snicker.

The old man leaned in closer to both younger men. "I'd like to chat with you where the ambiance is lighter, is that all right with you?"  
Sanosuke and Katsu looked at each other. "That's fine with us," Katsu said. "Where would you like to go?"

Grin.

"My secret, happy place."

Shrugs.

"Sure, lead the way."

"There's only one condition."

Questioning eyes.

"You gotta be willing to tango."

* * *

It wasn't until they were led by Yamashita down the spiral staircase and onto the wooden floor did Katsu and Sanosuke understand why the ballroom made the old man so happy. Over a dozen old couples moved across the ballroom floor with surprising grace, as if their joints never knew the pain of arthritis, smiling and laughing like they were stuck in the 1950s. Sanosuke felt out of place, but for some reason Katsu joined the old folks at Yamashita's table like it was a class reunion.

Of student and teachers.

Scanning the room past the dancing retirees, he saw a group of younger men by the far corner of the room, sipping drinks and talking. As his eyes strayed to the band playing music, he noticed that one of the musicians was a woman.

Blink.

Who closely resembled someone he wanted to see again.

"What the…" he muttered under his breath, looking down at the floor as if to readjust the focus of his eyes. When he looked back at the band, the music stopped and movement on the floor halted to give applause to the musicians. It became a little difficult to see past the raised clapping hands. Sanosuke was sure he didn't drink a drop of alcohol, not ever before a fight. So why were his eyes playing tricks on him?  
Seeing Sanosuke approach their table, Yamashita's voice boomed to announce his arrival. "Everyone, let me introduce you to the finest fighter Japan has ever produced. This is Zanza. Zanza, this is everybody. Tsukioka-kun told us about your fight tonight."

"Yama, all this time I thought it was _next_ week, not tonight."

"You're getting old, Toji."

"Face it, we're all getting old!"

Yamashita's shoulders rolled up in a shrug. "I wish your manager would alert me of these things sooner. I'm a big fan, you know, and so's the rest of us."

In his defense, Katsu forced himself to recover quickly from a gulp of his drink. "Hey, it's not too late to get those box seats! Food and drinks are on me!"

Sanosuke was a little flattered that even men their age followed his fights. Despite that, he wanted to take Katsu aside and ask about the Kasumi look-alike on the bandstand, or at least ask him if he schedule an appointment to get his eyes checked. Spurred by curiosity, he turned his head to look at the far wall again. Yamashita took notice and laughed.

"I see that Kasumi-chan has caught yet another man's attention in here."

Sanosuked was floored. "Wha—that's really Kasumi-san?"

"Mm-hm!" one of the old men chimed.

"Do you know our Kasumi-chan, Zanza?" Yamashita asked as he swirled the wine in his glass.

"Yes! I mean, no… I mean… I kinda want to get to know her…"

The table erupted with laughter. "Youngsters these days are so honest with their feelings! I like that about you, Zanza-kun!" Yamashita cheered.

"But caution, son. We don't want to have your feelings dashed just before a fight. She's turned down every guy in here who's asked her out flat."

"Graceful and elegant Kasumi-chan makes all of us wish for younger days! She's the sweetest thing, that girl. Always asking about us and our health."

"That's right. And you'd better think twice if you make her sad, or else you'll have us to deal with!"

Katsu wasn't surprised that Kasumi would have fans even in the geriatric population, but the fact of the matter that she was there had him curious like the look on Sanosuke's face.

"I trust you young men enough to keep my little hideaway a secret, so to seal the pact, you have to dance at least once." Yamashita raised his glass toward the fighter. "For luck, Zanza-kun."

The whole table toasted to Sanosuke, and he didn't know how to react. What the hell did he know about tango? "I, uh, kinda don't know how to dance."

"Are you kidding me? Dancing's a lot like fighting, especially tango! Except, your opponent is a beautiful woman and your moves are meant to entice, not strike."

Katsu was already standing to excuse himself. "Well, that's not a problem for me. Toji-jiisan, may I borrow your beautiful wife for a dance?"

"Don't say that too loud, you'll get her ego going!"

Sanosuke watched as his manager walked up to the old man's wife and saw her blush. Damn Katsu for being so freakin' suave. Who the hell was he going to dance with? He was sure that one missed step for him meant crunching a few osteoporitic toes.

"Zanza-kun, I changed my mind, I think I'll be attending your fight this evening. I'm most likely going to be late, so don't try to win so quickly." The advice shook some of the awkwardness of dancing off Sanosuke. "To make up for it, I have a present for you," Yamashita said, his grin something that became comfortable to the fighter like an old pair of shoes.

* * *

Sudden laughter wrenched Kasumi's gaze toward her employer's table. The usual group of old men were there, complete with handcrafted mahogany canes and classic vests and suits. The two that didn't go with their ensemble looked much younger, one in a grey suit, the other in dress slacks and a shirt with no tie. She shifted in her seat to turn a page of her sheet music over, and a sudden connection in her mind made her look back at the noisy table. She recognized that grey suit. Tae had one custom-made just like it, from a tailor in the upper east side of Kichijoji who nobody knew about. That man had to be Katsu. Which meant that the other man had to be… She gasped frozen when she couldn't remember his name.Her heart began to pound at the thought of being found out while she was moonlighting, for an old man in a secret ballroom no less.

_Think fast, Megumi…_

In a heartbeat, she ran through a list of plausible excuses to say to their inevitable questions of what she doing at an old man's hidden ballroom and why. Answering the what wasn't so much a problem, she was used to thinking quick and cold on her feet. It was the why she didn't want to explain. As she pretended to be engrossed with the notes on her sheet music, she could hear heavy steps that were so characteristic of Yamashita's designer soles that she prayed that he would approach the other band members and not her.

Prayer unanswered.

"Kasumi-chan, thank you for that performance, that was lovely!" Yamashita gushed, extending his hands out to enclose her nervous, reluctant ones. "Will you come again next week?"

"I'm not sure, Yamashita-jiisan. I have to see what my schedule will look like then." Her eyes strayed past the old man's shoulders and found intense brown ones gazing intently at her. Unconsciously, she shifted to the side to avoid the line of his stare.

_Katsu, Katsu's friend, the reason why I'm here is because…_

"Actually, I have another favor to ask of you. I have a friend here who would like to learn how to dance and needs a dance partner. Can I borrow you for a few minutes?"

_… It's the only way I can keep up with playing the cello…_

She was jolted out of her search for excuses. "Wait, what?"

"It's only for a few minutes! Will you?"

"But… but! Who's going to play the cello?" _It's the reason why you hired me in the first place!_

Yamashita waved her off. "You let me worry about that. I promised this young man a good send-off to his fight tonight, and you're the perfect height for him."

"But Yamashita-jiisan, I don't even know how to tango!"

"Nonsense! I've danced with you before and you move like a graceful gazelle!"

"But that was the waltz, and it was really slow!"

When the old man blinked puppy eyes at her, she knew he wasn't going to relent. "Please, Kasumi-chan? Yama-jiichan doesn't ask for something without a promising reward now, does he?"

He just referred to himself in the third person, with unspoken words of profit that she knew he would likely supply. He wasn't playing around.

Sigh.

"Yama-jiisan… if I do this, you promise you won't volunteer me for anymore dances?"

"My word is good, my dear. So is my wallet."

That, she didn't doubt at all. Another sigh. "Very well."

"Excellent! Zanza, come over here!" As Yamashita motioned for the fighter to come over, she wondered why the name he called him was unfamiliar. "Allow me to introduce the lovely Shirakawa Kasumi-chan, who has agreed to be your dance partner for the evening. Kasumi-chan, this is Zanza, who I believe knows you through Tsukioka-kun over there."

Noting the uncertainty on her face, Sanosuke decided to play firsts. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Shirakawa-san."

She was grateful for his observation. "I am pleased to meet you as well." After the bows were exchanged, the old man laughed and pushed the two closer together to the point of their bodies nearly colliding.

"Show her what you've got, my boy!"

From the old man's nonchalant retreat to her tall partner, her gaze betrayed an awkwardness that had Sanosuke worried. Charm. He needed charm. He quickly thought of what Katsu would do in a situation such as this.

"Um, if, if I can let you walk away from all this without crushed toes, I'd be so happy."

When her face eased into a smile, he considered it a personal victory. "We'll go really slow, so don't worry. But before we get started, may I go to the ladies' room?"

"Oh yeah, please go ahead. But um, you'll be coming back, right, Shirakawa-san?"

Formality noted.

"Of course, why wouldn't I?"

Head scratch.

"Oh nothing… I thought I was scaring you off or something."

_So I'm not the only one who's nervous._

"Don't worry, Zanza-san, if you're scaring me, I'll let you know."

With another smile, she left him by the bandstand and plucked her purse from one of the chairs lining the mirrored walls. She could feel his eyes watching her, and she had mixed feelings of wariness and curiosity that had her sighing as she opened the door to the ladies' room. As soon as she was in, she locked the door behind her and started digging into her purse for that piece of paper with his name and phone number on it. Finally finding it, she tapped at the paper and smiled. Sagara Sanosuke was his name. And she was supposed to call him earlier.

_Crap._

No wonder the guy sounded insecure.

She paused for a moment, thinking of what to do next. She dug for her cell and dialed the number she had written on the paper. After a two rings, the other line picked up.

"Hello?"

"Sagara Sanosuke-san, I apologize for not calling you sooner."

_A promise is a promise._

Surprise.

"Kasumi-san?! Wait, I mean, Shirakawa-san?"

"Yes, it's me, calling you from the bathroom to reassure you that I will return." She heard relief in his laughter. "Could you give me a few moments longer? I have to return an important phone call."

An excuse.

"Sure, no prob!"

"And Sagara-san, thank you for not letting Yamashita-jiichan know we've already met. He can get rather animated over something like that."

Sanosuke knew the feeling, he could barely contain himself. "Oh, don't mention it. And please, call me Sagara. Or Sano." _Or whatever you want, as long as it's me you're calling._

"Then who is Zanza?"

"Oh, that's just a stage name. Speaking of stage, are you still coming to the match tonight?"

Thank God they weren't talking face-to-face, because the color nearly drained from her face at the word 'stage'. She couldn't come up with an excuse for her being there. Not a believable one, anyway. She appreciated the fact that it was distracting enough for him to be on the phone with her, and she hoped that it wouldn't stir his curiosity any further.

"I'm afraid I'll be playing the cello for Yamashita-jiichan for a little longer."

"It's not till two and a half hours from now. Can you come then?"

The tone of his voice was practically begging. Was it that important to him?

"I don't know, Sagara-san. Your match implies a lot of violence is involved."

Sanosuke didn't know how to reply to that. "I… it's not really _that_ violent… it's, you know…" he stalled, trying to think of words to say. "Just a little bit of knocking the opponent out," he managed to say in a mumble. The pessimist in him knew that it wasn't the answer that would persuade the average person to attend a fight, little less a beautiful and refined woman like her to go. "Okay, that didn't come out right."

Long pause.

"Um, hello?"

Hesitation.

"If you manage to leave my toes whole and unbroken tonight, Sagara-san, I will see your match."

Gasp.

"You're on!" he said ecstatically and louder that she had to inch the phone away from her ear.

"Then I'll see you in a few minutes on the floor."

"Okay!"

As soon as he heard her hang up, his eyes darted across the room to look for his manager. Spotting him when he just finished dancing with Yamashita's wife, he hurried over and yanked at Katsu's arm.

"Good God, what the hell was that for?" Katsu fought the urge to bellow. Sometimes Sano didn't know his own strength.

"My bad, Katsu, but this is an emergency! I _have_ to learn how to tango and fast, or else she won't come to the fight!"

"Dude, all right, calm down! So tell me what happened."

Sanosuke took a deep breath.

"So she called me while she's in the bathroom to tell me she's sorry that she hadn't called me earlier, and that she'll come see the fight if don't step on her toes tonight. That means I gotta move like you, and I don't know the first thing about tango!"

"Okay, okay. But before you get your boxers in a knot, let me remind you that you are the most agile and adaptable fighter in the whole mixed martial arts circuit, the magazines and every one else say so. You can read movement like poetry, Sano, so calm down."

Sanosuke took another deep breath and ran a hand over the top of his head. "Thanks for trying to pump me up right now, Katsu, but this isn't a fight, this is dancing!"

"I understand that, and it is because of the fact that you're so good at reading movement that you're going to learn this like breathing. So with that, I'm going to walk over to the band, ask them to play something, borrow Yama-jiichan's wife again, and show you how easy the footwork is compared to real fighting. Are we cool on that?" When Katsu got a nod from his friend, he did as he said, and when the band struck up the music, he led a very flattered Mrs. Yamashita across the dance floor once again, and Sanosuke's analyzing eyes didn't bat a lash.

* * *

When music from the ballroom reached her ears, Kasumi decided that she would stop stretching her legs out against the sink when the song ended. After what happened to her muscles the past couple of days, she wasn't going to allow herself to move them unless they were properly stretched out and warmed up, the way she was taught and the way it should've been done that night at Tae's restaurant. She sighed and let her thoughts stray to broader things.

Like Sagara's shoulders. With his dress shirt on, she didn't think he was all that big. But the more she thought about his occupation, the more she suspected his frame to hold cords upon cords of muscle.

Wait a minute, did that mean she wanted to see him with his shirt off?

She scoffed at herself and smiled. Perhaps it was the flattery of his gaze that had her scrutinizing his physique, she was a physician after all. When those around her still knew her as Megumi, the idea of romance was so far away from her mind, and even when it came close to sparking an interest in her, medical school came first. She recalled the requests for dates she turned down for some academic reason or another, and not one of those men seemed trustworthy. Blame it on her father for planting it in her mind at a young age that the majority of the men she will meet in her life will have ulterior motives for her. Or perhaps it was her mother who brought home the importance of genuine sincerity.

Which was why Sagara seemed an oddball, it was curiously amusing. He wasn't afraid to let his feelings show, and his eyes spoke of emotions wanting to be expressed into words but couldn't. What was so interesting that he would look at her like he did? Her mother's dance moving to the eccentric beat of an Icelandic singer? She only saw a glimpse of herself against the glass reflection of the restaurant storefront, and she was more impressed at the fans Tae gave her. As she counted off another set of stretches, she concluded that it was possible for others to think highly of something so second-nature to her, mere child's play. And maybe that was why he was impressed with the dance. But enough of that.

It was time to make some calculations. She could expect a little more than her usual pay tonight, but she wasn't going to allow herself to hope for much more. She would let Yamashita-jii-chan surprise her.

Blink.

She couldn't remember when she became so disparaged. Because money was now linked to very personal matters, hope and money were two things she learned to associate at a minimum. She was too realistic.

Five minutes have passed, and the song was fading to an end. She finished her last stretch before looking at herself in the mirror. She practiced the smile she would give her impromptu dance partner. When she loosened her face back to a thoughtful neutral, she closed her eyes and prayed for her life to return back to normal.

Breathe in.

For the chance to take her time and live her life unhurried, unpressured.

Breathe out.

For the day when she didn't have to dance or play the cello as someone's paid entertainment.

Step back.

Until then, she would be grateful for the opportunities that came her way. She would toil a slave's work, hold the bow against taut strings and play each paid note. She would be a good soldier with a cause, fighting the good fight.

She gathered her belongings into her purse and composed herself. It would be worth it all in the end, that much to her was true.

Family was a very good cause, after all.

When applause broke out, she exited the ladies' room, retracing the movements of tango steps in her head.

* * *

Seeing Kasumi place her purse back on the same chair as before, Katsu tapped at Sanosuke's shoulder. "All right, Sano, it's showtime."

The fighter raised his eyes from old man Yamashita who was giving him last second pointers to Kasumi who was now making her way to the floor.

"Remember what I said, lead with the center of the body and let the legs follow. You control all movement, she'll follow your lead. And most importantly, hold her loosely, but don't let go," Yamashita finished, his wife next to him nodding at each advice in agreement.

Sanosuke liked the last advice the best. "Thanks, Yama-jiichan. I'll give it my best shot." He turned to walk away when the old man's wife called out to him, halting him mid-stride.

"Zanza-kun, never forget what it feels like to hold her against you," she said sweetly. Her words made the fighter's cheeks warm with a grin.

"I won't, I promise."

The old couple smiled at each other in delight, holding each other's hand as they watched Sanosuke approach their pretty cellist. Katsu was smiling, too. Sanosuke probably reminded them of their own first encounters.

"Think he'll pull it off, Tsukioka-kun?" Yamashita asked.

The manager smirked. "I think he'll more than pull it off. Let's wait and see."

With a pleased sigh, the old man bent down to kiss his wife on the cheek. "Okay, dear, I have to go take Kasumi-chan's place at the cello."

"Be careful with your fingers."

Katsu's brows rose. "You play, Yama-jiichan?"

"Sure do! But I can't dance and play at the same time, that's why I hired Kasumi-chan! Now, stay here and keep my girl company. I'm off to make some music."

Katsu laughed as the old man walked away. What a happy man, he thought. Life must be easy when one is the electronics mogul of Japan.

"Come sit by 'Baa-chan, Tsukioka-kun, and tell me why you didn't bring your girlfriend with you," she said, patting the padding of the mahogany chair beside her.

Grin.

Seat taken.

"You see, 'Baa-chan, she's a very busy woman…"

* * *

After handshakes were exchanged, the musicians got to their seats and took up their instruments. On the count of three, music poured from their instruments with an even, slow tempo.

On the floor, they were the only couple to dance, and she was nervous.

"Sagara-san, I confess I haven't danced this in a while, so please let me know if you're going to make sudden movements."

Nod.

"I will. And, thanks for doing this for me, Shirakawa-san."

She felt a little guilty at his gratitude. She was doing this because she was being paid for it. But he didn't have to know that.

Practiced smile.

"Let's see how useful a partner I am to your learning experience. Shall we?"

"Okay…"

Sanosuke slightly extended his hand out for her to clasp, and his other arm wrapped around her shoulders with a relaxed distance between them.

_Hold her loosely, but don't let go…_

He looked for consent in her eyes that gave him permission to proceed. When she looked up at him, he couldn't help but thank the old man for giving him this chance. She was even more beautiful up close, and of statuesque height. Perfect for his dance partner, as Yamashita said. He walked her easily to the rhythm of the song, and just like Katsu and the old man said, she followed step for step.

Kasumi was grateful that Yamashita picked a slower tune for his first dance. And she couldn't help but be impressed at the way he swept at her feet to follow his stride.

Barrida.

In the time it took for her to stretch, he learned the dance rather quickly. From the moment she latched onto his hand, she kept her gaze at a lowered angle, not wanting to look her partner in the eye just yet. Or maybe she couldn't withstand the intensity behind them. She wasn't ready to deal with it.

"I'm going to dip you, is that okay?"

She met his eyes and made a quick windmill turn. "Okay."

A gasp escaped her lips when she was suddenly tipped down, only to be pulled back up against his chest.

So effortless.

"Don't worry, I've got you."

She was oddly comforted by that. He continued to move her along the floor, rotating and tilting her toward him, her free leg tracing a curved figure on the floor.

Damn, she made him look good. _She_ looked good. Sanosuke would've never dreamed she could move like this, but then again, he was the one that figured out she was jumping from table to table in that silk petal of a kimono she wore the first time he laid eyes on her. He must've done something right, because her hand was now clasping the back of his neck, and the contact made his skin sear with heat.

The song's notes began to crescendo into lazy staccatos, and she mustered up the courage to meet his eyes. They were locked onto hers, almost glazed with concentration and… She allowed herself to be distracted with the turn he threw her into, recoiling her back against his chest, his embrace now closer, his hold a little tighter, his gaze… she didn't want to think of the word.

Sanosuke wished the song would never end, but he knew the sound of it when he heard it. This dance was making him crazy. He dated other women before, and from all the compliments he got, they were all beautiful, but none of them felt like she did in his arms. Her touch alone did things to his pulse he couldn't control, and for the love of God, did she have to smell so good? He knew enough to tell between lust and mere attraction. Lust was something all men went through, whether or not they followed through. But this was more than attraction, and he had to find out what it was about her or else he'd explode. He had a match to fight and his heart couldn't take much more of her porcelain skin grazing his cheek.

Yama-jiichan's wife was so right. He would _never_ forget how she felt against him.

He ended the dance with another dip, her hand staying behind his neck the entire time, her chest heaving for air and her cheeks pink with exertion.

She looked so hot, he could devour her.

Slowly bringing her back to her feet, he steadied her until she could stand. It wasn't until she removed her hand from his neck did he realize that he was fighting for air as well. Both were startled at the sudden applause they received, Kasumi jumping a little towards her partner, his hand staying her at the small of her back as she looked on at their audience.

"It looks like you have their approval, Sagara-san," she said, her gaze scanning the crowd as the corners of her mouth lifted.

His eyes were still on her. "I don't think I had anything to do with it, you did all the work." When she looked back at him, his breath caught.

"Sagara-san, you danced so wonderfully. You did such a good job. Thank you for dancing with me," she said, the smile on her face different from all the ones he'd received before. It was mesmerizing. "Sagara-san?"

"Huh? Yes! Uh, right! I mean, thank you for letting me have this dance!"

The sound of her laugh was melting something inside him. It felt like his knee joints.

"A deal is a deal, I suppose. Could you give me directions to the venue of your match?"

"You're coming? You mean it?!"

His excitement was so funny to Kasumi. "Well, my toes are still intact, after all."

_But my brain isn't!_ Heaven help Sanosuke to move the muscles of lips. "I—I, yeah, I can give you directions. Better yet, how about I give you a ride there?"

"I wouldn't want you to have to wait on me, it's not necessary. I don't know how much longer Yama-jiichan wants me to play."

As if he had the hearing of a bat, the old man responded on cue. "Just another half hour or so, Zanza-kun, and then you can take her home!"

Her face must've been so red, her skin was practically burning at the old man's suggestion. She had to look down.

"So is it okay for me to wait? The fight's not for another hour and a half."

His enthusiasm coaxed a small grin. "You're quite amusing, Sagara-san," she said, her gaze still on the floor. "Are you always this eager?"

"I've been on a streak of luck ever since I met you, Shirakawa-san, and if I bring you to the fight, my chances of winning will be even greater."

Bringing her eyes up to meet his, she widened her grin. "Kasumi will do, Sagara-san. Thanks again for the dance. I have to get back to the cello before Yama-jiichan's arthritis flares up."

"Sure thing."

He watched her walk toward the bandstand where Yamashita embraced her lightly and her fellow musicians welcomed her soundly. She took her seat and the cello between her legs before picking up the bow. She turned a page of the sheet music in front of her and waited for the count-off of the pianist. When music filled the room once more, Sanosuke couldn't help but think how fortunate he was that evening.

_Kasumi will do, indeed._


	3. Chapter 3

If sleep was something one could eat, then Kasumi had gorged herself with it to the point of sleeping through her alarm and the phone call Tae had given her. When she finally cracked her eyes open, the sun that usually shone through her bedroom window had long ascended to its highest peak, and both her landline and cell phone were ringing. Struggling to find the will to reach out to the cordless phone on her nightstand, she took the phone and answered.

"Hello?"  
"Kasumi! This is call number twenty-two. Are you all right, hon? It's not like you to sleep in this late."

Expletive.

"What time is it?" She debated whether or not to reach for her cell.

"Time for late brunch at my place is what it is! So show up here in thirty or I'm going to send muscle to get you over here."

Smirk.

"Are you going to put me to work again, Tae?"

"Hey now, I'm genuinely concerned here!" A giggle from her friend reassured Tae. "Well, just come over here as soon as you can and have brunch with me. You don't have to work today, right?"

Kasumi's eyes strayed to her cell phone and cringed. "I think I may have missed the entire morning of my workday already."

"Well, check again. I just got a call from Dr. Kubo for a reservation and I heard that you had the day off."

"I do?"

"Yes, so you have no excuse to skip out on food. So see you in a bit, okay? I wanna hear about what happened last night."

Resignation.

"All right, all right. I'll be there, bye already."

Laughter.

_Click._

Her cell phone had stopped ringing in the middle of their conversation earlier, and when she finally scrolled through her numerous missed calls, her brows rose at the same unfamiliar phone number that repeated over a dozen times in succession.

* * *

"Sano, if you don't stop pacing around, you're going to make tracks on the floorboards."

It must've been the third or fourth time his manager had asked him to stop, but he just couldn't stay still. He was a mix of anxiousness, regret and irritation all rolled into a knot, and not even food delivered from Tae's restaurant could calm him.

"This is so unlike you to be so, what's the word... _indifferent,_ after a triumphant victory over Santorini, who, may I remind you, had to get an MRI to make sure you didn't beat him beyond recovery. I mean, usually you'd be smug and walking tall about this."

The fighter let out a frustrated sigh. "Yeah."

"'Yeah?' That's all you could say? Dude, the media can't stop talking about you!" Katsu took the paper he was reading at the dinner table and shoved it in Sanosuke's face. "You're a freakin' hero, it says here!"

"That's great, Katsu, hurray for us," he said, his tone almost deadpan as he looked down at his cell phone.

Katsu straightened his stance at the odd observation. His best friend never acted like this before, especially after nearly beating his nemesis to a pulp last night. He had to wonder about that as well. There had to have been an exchange of words in the cage during the fight, something that only his best friend would've heard. Whatever was said, Sanosuke had unleashed a fury of blows with such speed and force that the officiating referee had to enlist the help of two other men to pull him away from the broken down opponent. Quietly, Katsu voiced the question. "Just what happened in the cage, Sano?"

"Nothing happened," he answered, eyes diverted to an imagined speck of dust on the floor.

"Then how come you can't look me in the eye?"  
Frustration.

"Fuck..."

Pause.

"So?"

Hesitation.

"...So as usual, Santorini opened his mouth, and of course, shit came out..."

"Keep going..."

Sigh.

"And I didn't like what he said."

"Which was...?"

The fighter leaned his elbows over his knees, an angry furrow on his brow matching the frown on his face. "He said that he knew Kasumi-san was watching in the crowd, and that after he was done beating me, he'd go find her and give her a pounding of his own. In bed."

Incensed.

"What?!"

"There was no way I was going to let him get away with that, Katsu. No fucking way. Not after he tried to manhandle her at the restaurant. You know he'd follow through with it. I got so angry, I couldn't stop the punches from flying off my fists."

It now made sense why Sanosuke fought like a rabid dog, why he couldn't answer the commentators' questions after the fight without looking through the crowd, why he curtly took his leave from the limelight and the cheering masses to disappear into the locker room, only to emerge with his cell phone in hand and blood still fresh on his lip. Sanosuke wasn't one to pursue women he liked only slightly. Especially not when he lets common trash talk crawl under his skin enough to fuel the natural instinct to protect to the point of near-homicide.

"You wanted to find her," Katsu thought out loud.

"After hearing that from Santorini, wouldn't you?"

Katsu nodded slowly. "Yes, I would, with my own methods... Sano, where is she now?"

The fighter ruffled his hair in aggravation. "I don't know, I've been calling her all night and all morning now... I don't even know when she upped and left. I even called Tae to ask for her work number, but all they said she wasn't at the hospital. I didn't even _know_ she worked at a hospital."

"I'm sure she's fine. Tae hasn't called me yet, and she usually gets frantic if that sort of thing happens. Let me give her a call and find out what she knows. In the meantime, try to calm down. It's not good for your muscles to be so stressed out like this."

Sanosuke rolled his eyes at his manager as he walked away to call Tae on the phone. What did he care about muscles? He lost count how many times he'd called her, and he was sure Kasumi must think he's Mr. Obsessive by now. He didn't really care about that, either. All that mattered was that Santorini couldn't touch her, and that she was safe.

If only he could get a verbal confirmation on that.

"So stop worrying already," Katsu came back saying as he replaced his cell in his pocket. "I found out that Tae just roped her into going to the restaurant to have brunch with her, I'm pretty sure it's to gossip about what happened last night." Sanosuke's mouth was about to start when Katsu nodded. "And yes, I've already told her to save us a table next to theirs. So I don't want to see you pacing like a tiger in a cage, all right? You could be doing jump ropes or something with all that energy. Anyway, if you could give me your full attention for the next ten minutes, I promise I won't interrupt your hunting time for Kasumi. Is that cool with you?"

"Yeah, that's cool with me." Sanosuke watched his manager take the seat in front of him and take out an eight by ten calendar with schedules filling each day of the month. Because Katsu was extremely organized and lived five steps ahead of everybody else, it made it hard for Sanosuke to thunder out disagreement. As he listened to him go over his fight and appearance schedules, he wondered for a brief moment what life would've been like for him if he hadn't met Katsu at the orphanage.

* * *

"Dr. Kubo, it's Shirakawa. Um... am I fired?"

Incredulity.

"What? Over my dead body! Who said that?!"

Placating.

"No, nobody did, Dr. Kubo. It's just that I was told I didn't have to come in today even though I'm scheduled. I was wondering if there was something I did or didn't do to deserve it."

Relief.

"My dear, have you forgotten that you helped me in the O.R. last night when you didn't have to?"

"Well, no, but I-"

"And how long were we in there?"

"Um... about six hours."

"Right. So that warrants a post-call day for you, according to the favors section of Kubo's Manual on Medical Staff Management. You should read it, it's good stuff."

Laughter.

"What? Dr. Kubo, you're obviously playing."

"I'm serious as a heart attack! Tell Naoko-chan to get you a copy."

Sigh.

"I'm guessing you're still bribing her with sweets."

"A whole tubful of them. But don't worry, we were not alone in the cocoa carnage. My wife was a very willing accomplice. Now, you can plan for the rest of your very paid day-off because you've more than deserved it."

"...Are you sure?"  
Smirk.

"Very."

"...Okay... then, I'll see you tomorrow?"  
"Bright and early."

"Thank you, Dr. Kubo."

"Enjoy your day, dear."

Signal terminated.

* * *

Over a plate of scrambled eggs and French toast, Tae was merciless in getting information from her best friend. "So you guys ended up doing the tango?" she asked, eyes wide at Kasumi.

Happy that she was fed brunch type food, it was too delicious to take Tae seriously. "Yes, and he's surprisingly not a bad dancer." And after chewing and swallowing a forkful, "He didn't step on my toes once." She looked at Tae who had the giddiest look on her face and she began to question her real age.

"No broken toes are always a good thing... So what happened after that?"  
Orange juice.

"Well, I told him before the dance that I'd go see his fight if he didn't step on my toes, and he didn't, so I went."

Gulp.

Gasp.

"What?! Get out! So you got to see him in all his barely clothed glory?"  
"Tae, need I remind you that a man by the name of Katsu would die if he heard you talking about anyone else like this?"

"Pssh, honey, he knows I've only got one man wrapped around my finger. I'm trying to relive your moments! And while we're at it, can't you be more enthusiastic about this?"

"Come on, Tae, it was rather uneventful for me since I had to leave two minutes after his fight started. I had to scrub into a six-hour procedure."

That reduced the ear-to-ear smile of Tae's to a pout. "That's a big boo, Kasumi. You could've at least given him time to impress you."

Shrug.

"I had to go."

Sigh.

"I'm sure you know by now that this guy is interested in you."

"And I'm sure you know by now that I'm not interested in younger guys."

"Aw, come on, he's only a couple of years younger!"

"Do you know how old he is?"  
Pause.

"Not exactly, but he doesn't look any younger than you."

"Are you kidding me? He looks like he could be my kid brother!"

"For God's sake, stop exaggerating. He could look like _my_ kid brother, not yours. I know you both are beautiful, but you don't look alike."

Frown.

"I don't rock cradles, Tae."

"I'm not saying you are! I'm just shedding light at the fact that Sanosuke is a good guy, who I think deserves a try at Mount Kasumi."

Mock shock.

"Are you telling me he has your blessing to climb all over me?!"

Laughter.

"I'm just saying I think he's a good enough man to deserve a chance at _some_ time with you! I mean, come on, it's like the best things that came together since salami and sliced bread."

Rolled eyes.

"Tae, you're crazy."

"Yes, but you love me."

Thoughtful.

"Can I say that at times I love you like a hemorrhoid?"

"Only if you can accept and embrace it."

Sour face.

"Then come here and give me a hug, I have to leave."

"What? You just got here!"

"But I have to-"

"You can't leave until you finish all the food I asked them to make for you. Blueberry pancakes off the griddle with fresh blueberries and strawberries."

"...But I really do have to go-"

"With whipped cream and nutella spread."

Concession.

"...Hmmmaybe I can be a few minutes late."

* * *

Smiling amiably at the door greeters of Tae's restaurant, Katsu took off his designer sunglasses and scanned the room for her, beaming as he found her in her favorite nook with the sun of his star fighter's affections. His smile grew even brighter at the sight of blueberry pancakes on the table.

"I hope you can spare some of that for me?"

Heads turned and Tae squeaked with glee. "Hello, dearest! What brings you here this early?"

Katsu shrugged, still eyeing the plates. All that managerial talk with Sanosuke made him hungry. _And man, Tae's blueberry pancakes!_ He was silently grateful for Kasumi giving him a generous stack of pancakes onto a spare plate. "I had to find a decent joint to feed my worm, and Sano's too at that."

"Well, where is he?"

Kasumi blinked at the conspiracy she imagined unfolding in her head. Katsu placed more importance on his taste buds at that moment, chomping on a forkful of pancakes as if he was never fed. He waited to chew and swallow all his food before speaking, manners that were well appreciated by Kasumi.

"He's finishing up a phone interview in the car. I'm sure his nose will lead him in here, no doubt."

Kasumi grinned at the pair giggling at each other. How these two clicked never made any sense to her, but even with the subtle smiles and eye contact, she felt the connection between them strong. Forking a strawberry into her mouth, the thought of someone feeding chocolate-dipped strawberries strayed in her thoughts.

Meanwhile, Japan's number one fighter was preparing his mind for battle in the driver's seat of the Range Rover. Or according to Katsu's suave jargon, a fortuitous meeting of the planned kind. Whatever.

"Just keep your cool, Sano. Nothing happened, so everything's okay. Just thank her for coming to the fight, and if she says anything else, then calmly, _calmly_ ask what happened." Sanosuke ran a hand through his hair, checked the mirror for his appearance, and finally exhaled as he opened the car door.

_This is nothing, it's no big deal, you're cool... ice cool..._

If only he could slow his heart from beating so fast in his chest, he'd half believe those words. There swung the front doors.

"Welcome back, Sagara-san," chorused the door greeters.

"Uh, thanks. Where-"

"They're in the back corner of the seating area waiting for you."

He nodded. "Thanks a lot."

"Please take your time and enjoy."

_Right..._

Seeing his manager almost hunched over the table and speaking so softly made him wonder if he was there to help him or conspire against him. Knowing how playful Katsu could get with the ladies, he wouldn't hesitate to have a little fun on his expense. Normally the thought wouldn't bother him, but as he approached the table, an overwhelming fear of stuttering came over him that he forgot to respond to Tae's greeting.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?"  
Laughter.

"I said, have you eaten anything yet since you woke up? You look like you could use some food. Go ahead and sit down, Kasumi doesn't bite."

Seeing her acknowledge him with a nod and a smile, Sanosuke took his seat, and Katsu found it funny that he was moving like a robot.

"Have you had Tae's famous blueberry pancakes? They're killer here."

As Tae motioned for the server to get another serving of pancakes, Sanosuke was surprised to see some magically appear on the plate before him.

"I think you need this more than I do, Sagara-san."

Dumbfounded, he merely looked at smiling face of the good doctor.

"You'd better eat that, Sano. Doctor's orders," beamed Katsu as he motioned for the server for another cup of coffee. He felt a tap on his knee from Tae as they watched the fighter mumble a word of thanks before shoveling the pancakes into his mouth. The proprietor never knew Sanosuke to be this wordless before another person, which showed the speechless measure of his interest in her best friend. All too amusing.

"So Kasumi here tells me you're a excellent tango dancer."

Flaming cheeks.

Sanosuke felt like he was swallowing rocks. "Um, I was just happy not to step on her toes." He took a deep breath. "Thank you for coming to my fight by the way, Kasumi-san."

Bait taken.

"I'm sorry to say that I couldn't stay the whole time, I got paged by my senior to assist in the operating room."

Unspoken relief.

"That's okay, I'm glad you're all right then."

_Oops..._

Questioning look.

"I found the fighting something my stomach could take, I'm quite all right."

Both men knew she had no idea how reassuring that meant, especially to Sanosuke. And what kind of manager would Katsu be if he didn't make him look good?

"Hey Kasumi, if you're not busy a couple of nights from now, Sano has another fight scheduled."

All eyes watched as she mulled it over silently with the stir of her coffee. "I'm not sure if I'll have time... If I do have the time... can you guarantee you won't get damaged? I don't think it would be pleasant to watch you get injured."  
Unexpectedly, a grin crept across the fighter's chiseled visage. "If I come out of the cage unscathed, will you do me a favor?"  
"And what's that?"

To both Tae and Katsu, this was far more entertaining than a movie.

"I have to watch someone's performance in a talent show a week from now, and I was wondering if you'd go with me."

As they dealt and discussed the when and where of the whole affair, Tae's hand crept to find Katsu's under the table, squeezing her approval in their interlaced fingers. Reading each other's thoughts, Tae excused herself to help with lunch preparations in the kitchen, and not a moment sooner Katsu candidly answered a ghost phone call, trailing close behind her. The moment the kitchen doors swung closed, both heads peeked through the small circular windows to see their friends enter a more engaging conversation they wished they could hear, but happy all the same that Sanosuke wasn't a sheepish lion as they thought.

* * *

Whisper.

"This could be bad..."

"Huh? Why? I thought you liked the idea."

Sigh.

Fog on glass.

"I do, it's just..."

Pause.

"Just?"  
"I grew up with this kid, I know him like clockwork... the mere mention of her name is making him do things I've never seen him do."

Hushed giggle.

"Aw, come on, I'm sure he was like that with other women."

Silence.

"Right...?"  
Shrug.

"Fighters don't have very many reasons to fight. Some fight for prestige, others for money. I've managed for both. He became something so vicious this last fight that I thought the person I grew up and worked with was no longer human. It was something... neither prestige or money could fuel."

* * *

"Try it one more time on the count of three, and this time don't try toss the fan up too high."

"Okay!"

For a seven-year-old, she was glad that Ayame had more patience than what was expected for a child her age. Counting out loud, she nodded in approval as Ayame went through the movements of a dance she was teaching her, and clapped cheerily when she successfully caught the fan. For some reason, it was so gratifying to see her so happy in accomplishing a hard maneuver.

"I did it, Megumi-neesan, I did it!" she beamed in triumph, holding the fan up high.

"You sure did! Wonderfully executed!"

Bright eyes.

"Can I go show Ojii-chan?"

"Sure, but be careful walking around, that kimono is really long and you might trip, okay?"

"Okay!"

Before she made it through the sliding glass door leading to the kitchen, Ayame stopped and turned around. "Megumi-neesan, do you think I'll do okay next week?"

She smiled at the uncertainty on her young pupil's face. "If you keep practicing really hard like you are today, you'll do very well, I am sure of it." Pleased with her answer, Ayame scuttled into the house with both hands holding the fabric of her kimono up.

A content sigh escaped from her lips as she looked around the backyard. As her eyes strayed upwards at the sky, she smiled. Only at the Genzai estate did she notice the autumn sky so vastly blue and beautiful, without a cloud and enough sunshine to keep the cool at bay. Maybe it was more the thought of being able to relax in this household and letting her guard down, for here, she had no reason to hide who she really was.

Like being with family.

Dr. Genzai loved tending to the garden and it showed. Beautiful bonsai trees and shrubbery trimmed neatly surrounded the perimeter of the yard, with rosebushes blooming at every corner. It was silly that this small quiet place was the only sanctuary this vast city afforded her. To even have such a place was enough to consider herself lucky, knowing what she had to hide was safe with this family.

And it was also for this reason she didn't want any one of them involved, especially the little ones. She made a lot of money in the past week, she would pay those she was forcefully indebted to, and it would buy her time to do it all over again.

But now was not the time to think of those right now. Not when she was in the middle of Ayame's lesson, which she had to figure out how to make time for when she has to perform onstage. When did she say it was again?

"Megumi-neesan! Play catch with me!"

Her train of thought was replaced with a smile as she greeted Suzume, her grubby hands with a green plastic ball.

* * *

Doorbell.

"Hey Doc, how's it going?"

Delight.

"Why, what a pleasant surprise! It's good to see you again, come in!"

Chuckle.

"Thanks, I just wanted to stop by and see how you and the kids were doing."

Shoes off.

"They keep me busy, I'm telling you! These little girls are like balls of energy, I don't know where they get it from."

Jumping bear hug.

"Oof!"

"Sano-niichan, you're here!"

Snicker.

"You got it, kid, as promised. How ya doin'? And why are you dressed like a princess?"

Huff.

"I'm good, I'm learning how to dance and I learned a really hard trick just now, wanna see?"

"Sure, but I need your help with these first. Get Suzume to help you."

Boxed treats.

"For us?! Thank you so much, Sano-niichan! I love you!"

Another hug.

Grin.

"Can I share with Megumi-neesan, too?"  
Puzzled.

"Sure, but who's that?"  
Cleared throat.

"Go ahead and take those to the backyard, Ayame-chan. Suzume-chan is there, I'm sure she'll want to have some of those yummy treats."

"Okay!"

As they watched Ayame nearly trip on her long kimono, Dr. Genzai led his guest to the kitchen where a teapot and canister were taken from a cabinet. "You spoil them so much... Would you like some of your usual?"

Gen mai cha.

Grin.

"You know I never turn that down. Why's it so good here, anyway... do you put something else in it?"

Hot water.

Shrug.

"I don't know, really, it was given to me last autumn. Since I can't find it anywhere in this city, I only drink it when you visit."

Chuckle.

"Here I thought you were putting crack in it... So, who's this Megumi person?"

Hesitation.

"She's the daughter of a very good friend of mine... I'll introduce her as soon as Ayame-chan's lesson is done."

Detected.

"... Doc... I feel like I just said something wrong, your face is a little pale..."

Nervous laugh.

"No no, it's just that her folks are going through a tough time right now, and I was just thinking of how hard it must be for her."

"Oh..."

While waiting for the tea to steep, strong hands pushed away from the counter and legs wandered for a better view of the backyard where excited squeals filled the space. Sanosuke watched as Suzume ran circles around the tall woman whose back was towards him, a chocolate brownie half-eaten in her hand, while Ayame swayed to and fro as she bit into a chocolate truffle. It was only for a second, but the fighter froze at the profile of Ayame's instructor. Was he struck by something that he was seeing Kasumi everywhere now? Catching Ayame's attention with a wave of a hand, the little girl picked up the bottom of her kimono and came running back into the kitchen. After whispering into her ear, she giggled, nodded, then disappeared into the yard once more.

"Doc, is the lady in the yard Megumi-san?" he asked, his eyes never leaving the scene before him. He watched the instructor nod as Ayame gave her the fans that were resting on the bench.

"Yes," the older man replied as he handed Sanosuke's teacup to him. Both men were now looking out the yard, the moving objects like flowers in the wind. "You wouldn't know it, Sagara-kun, but a very old traditional dance exists to this day because of her."

They watched as Megumi extended the hand which held a fan, and with her gaze on the ground, she flicked it open, the shiny metallic finish of the fan a blinding reflection of the sun.

"This will be the second time I see her dance in my lifetime."

Flick of the wrist.

Flip of the fan.

Bewitched.

"I don't know how she stays graceful the way she does... she moves like water. Ayame-chan doesn't know how lucky she is to learn from her."

A quarter turn.

Tilted head.

"You said... that this was only the second time... I take it she doesn't often dance?"

Thrown fan.

Caught.

Sigh.

"You see, Sagara-kun... this art is only supposed to be for the eyes of the emperor's family and the nobility, neither of which I'm a part of."

Pause.

"Then, she must've come from a family of dancers?"  
Twirl.

"Her mother's side."

Both fans were thrown in the air and all eyes held their collective breaths as they were caught easily by her hands, her fingers flicking them open once more. The little ones clapped their hands in awe, and she lifted her eyes from the demure mask she wore to smile upon her young audience.

Sanosuke's jaw was hanging open throughout the entire act, and the old doctor held a grin as he nudged the fighter from his gazing reverie.

"Hey, what was that for?"

Laughter.

"You looked like you were being hypnotized, I felt like I had to save you."

"It's not like she's gonna kill me or anything-"

When both men looked back into the yard, Megumi was standing statue-still, her eyes wide with shock, the fans in her hand kept close to her sides. Everything the fighter saw in her posture screamed immediate flight, and the remorse he felt for interrupting her with his presence was immediately replaced by fear when her eyes narrowed at him. The little ones looked up at her and tugged at her skirt, wondering why she stopped. Unheard words were spoken, and the girls ran into the kitchen with the box of treats.

"Ojii-chan, Megumi nee-san has to leave, she said she has to get rid of a rat that followed her here. Suzume-chan, did you see any rats?"  
Suzume shook her head as she reached for Dr. Genzai to pick her up. The old doctor looked at Sanosuke who was looking more uncomfortable by the second.

"... I have a feeling you and Megumi-chan already know each other."

"Um... yeah..."

Megumi stomped through the kitchen, fans still in hand. "Sagara-san, what are you doing here?"

Dr. Genzai didn't have to look at her to feel the scorn in her voice, and from the stunned look on the fighter's face, he had to cool things down. He let out a nervous laugh. "Ah, this is Sagara Sanosuke-kun. Sanosuke-kun, this is-"

"Megumi-san. I know."

Megumi froze for an instant. _He knows..._ All she could hear ahead of her were questions, questions, questions.

"Genzai-sensei, I have to go now, I have someplace else I have to be."

Whine.

"You're not gonna stay? What about my lesson?"

"And dinner! You said you'd make my favorite dinner! Please stay!"

"Yeah, please?"

Why did little children remember every word you say whenever it was convenient for them? She was surprised when even Sanosuke joined the girls in their chorus.

"Pleeeease?"

The older doctor just shrugged at her.

It was like seeing wolves go in for the kill, and with the brown beady eyes of the little girls, she had no choice but to give up the ghost of fleeing, feeling a little betrayed that the kids fawned beside him.

"All right, all right, I'll stay a little while longer."

Ayame and Suzume cheered loudly and ran circles around their grandfather, oblivious to the lancing look Megumi's eyes imparted. Dr. Genzai just laughed. Sanosuke was a grown man and a professional fighter, he was sure he could defend himself.

_Good luck_...

* * *

For all the annoyance and distrust she felt throughout the entire evening, it was surprising to her how good Sanosuke was around children. He was apologetically wary when he helped her around the kitchen, but getting the kids to eat everything off their plate, clean up the dinner table and wash the dishes was something noteworthy. While she and Dr. Genzai had tea, she could hear the little ones plead and whine for a bedtime story that they eventually got after brushing their teeth.

"Megumi-chan, I am sorry that he saw you in the yard..."

Sip.

"Oh, please don't be. He's already seen me dance before at Tae's restaurant. In fact, that's how we met."

"Really?"  
Nod.

"Tae's boyfriend introduced us."

Pause.  
"Oh."

Pour.

"Dr. Genzai... how much does he know about me?"

Hesitation.

"The name I call you."

Sigh.

"And the fact that your family's dancing art exists only for the noble and privileged."

Cringe.

_Great..._

"I'm really sorry, Megumi-chan... I had no idea he knew you by the other name..."

"It's okay, I had no idea you knew each other. How long have you been friends with him?"  
"Hn... about a couple of years now."

Surprise.

"That long?"

Chuckle.

"Yes. Now that I think about it, I'm amazed how you two just now crossed paths when you and him visited me and the kids so often."

And it was obvious that he did for the children to be so close to him. Before she could find out just how often, Sanosuke entered the living room, storybook in hand.

"Well, they're asleep now," he said softly, handing the book to Dr. Genzai. The old man smiled back.

"Thanks for giving me a break, they often ask for theatrics I can't deliver." He glanced at the wall clock, Sanosuke taking notice. "Would you like some tea, Sanosuke-kun?"

"Um, sure, that is if Megumi-san doesn't mind."

Her brow lifted slightly at the entreaty as she took a sip of her tea. Her true name from his lips sounded genuinely sincere, with no malicious delight in garnering the secret from Dr. Genzai. As long as she didn't react suspiciously, his knowing her name would be of no consequence. From here on out, he doesn't need to know anything more. Besides, it wasn't her home to shut him out for her own relief, they both were friends with the good old doctor.

From the way she took the extra cup beside the teapot, poured the hot liquid and slid it towards him, Sanosuke took it as permission. He sat down next to her and made small talk with Dr. Genzai, whom he caught glancing at the clock again. The old man looked a little tired, and he could take a hint.

"Doc, it's getting late and I'd better go. I'm sorry for coming over and bothering you."

The old man grinned. "What're you talking about? You've helped me out more than you know!" He turned to Megumi. "Dear, it's late. You can stay the night in the guest room if you'd like."

She shook her head. "I have to get up early tomorrow, it'll be best to go home. Don't worry about all this," she motioned to the table, "I'll clean up."

"Okay then, let me get my coat so I can walk you home," Dr. Genzai said as he glanced at Sanosuke. A grin blossomed on his face as he nodded at the young man.

"Why don't I walk her home instead? I'm on my way out anyway."

Megumi paused. Was that a good idea? "That's okay, I don't live very far, and there are still a lot of people walking around, I'll be all right."

A frown.

"Megumi-chan, I don't feel comfortable with you walking home alone. I'd be very relieved and grateful if you let Sanosuke-kun walk you home."

_Do I really want this guy to know where I live?_ Megumi looked at Dr. Genzai, whose face wore that of a father's concern. "I can take a cab then."

The resistance from her voice wasn't missed, but there was no way he'd let her go alone, not when he could be around should an asshole like Santorini harass her again. "I drove my car here, it won't take very long to get to your place."

Before she could utter refusal, Dr. Genzai tilted his head expectantly at her, both approving and imploring. Realizing that her defensiveness may raise questions, she'd let the old man win.

Sigh.

"All right then, let me wash these before we go."

* * *

Door opened.

"Here you go."

Unimpressed.

"I could've opened the door myself. I'm not invalid, you know."

Smirk.

"I know. But if my foster mother at the orphanage didn't see me do this for you up in heaven, she'll haunt me and I'll never get any sleep."

Door shut.

She fastened her seatbelt as Sanosuke rounded the car to the driver's side door. He grew up in an orphanage? She didn't know that. Did that mean that Katsu grew up in the same orphanage as well? She stilled when he got into the car and strapped himself in his seat.

He keyed the engine to life.

_It's none of my business..._

"Okay, so where to?"

_ ... But I appreciate his effort._

"Please turn right at the corner."

"All right."

Sanosuke couldn't think of small talk to save him from the silence that swallowed them. It was like being in the hollow belly of a moving metal fish. Now that he knew she was a doctor, he felt a little out of her league. All the women who wanted to date him were a bit bubbly in the head, wanting no more than a few minutes of his fame and money, and being attracted to a beauty oozing brains seemed a bit much for his IQ to chew. But hey, this wasn't a test, this was him just driving...

Right turn.

The only woman to take his breath and logic away to her home...

"Then we turn left at the stoplight to the main road."

Was it just his imagination, or was there a bite to her voice... maybe she didn't like him at all, regardless of how nice she had been to him in the past? He began to regret visiting Dr. Genzai and the kids.

"Um... I'm sorry for showing up at the Doc's house when you were there."

Slight irritation.

"Why?"

Stutter.

"I-I don't know... I felt like I invaded some place that meant a lot to you... I didn't mean to at all, and I'm sorry."

He saw right through her, and it made her feel like a heel. How selfish and self-absorbed of her.

Blink.

Pause.

"... Perhaps I should be the one apologizing, Sagara-san."

Shaking head.

"Nope, I think this time, I may have overstepped my boundaries... I shouldn't have joined the kids in making you stay and left instead."

Guilt.

"It was not my intention to make your presence feel unwanted. It's Dr. Genzai's house after all."

Soft smile.

"Yeah, well, if this was a popularity contest, you'd've won hands down."

Disbelief.

"Wait a second, you're the famous fighter between the two of us, I think you have the popularity thing hands down."

Chuckle.

"Yeah, but I don't look pretty like you do."

Did he just say that out loud? At the realization of what was said, both their cheeks flamed at the comment.

"Um, sorry... it wasn't meant as a pick-up line or anything."

_Shit, I did it again!_

Awkwardness.

"I mean, what I meant to say-"

Laughter.

"It's okay, I know it wasn't your intention."

Relief.

_But it's still the truth..._

Traffic jam.

Squinted eyes.

"Why is there traffic at this time of night?"

"I don't know, but I'm just happy we have a full tank of gas."

A smile.

"I could always walk, you know."

"What? No way."

Automatic lock.

"Hey, are you trying to imprison me?"

"No, I'm doing that just in case those group of hoodlums walk up to the car and try some tricks. They look a little suspect."

She looked outside and saw several men dressed in hoodies and very loose jeans walking on the sidewalk, their heads looking to and fro as if looking for something.

Trouble.

"How did you see them? I didn't even see anything since the last two blocks."

The fighter turned to her with a lopsided grin. "I've got eyes at the back of my head."

Her face contorted with disbelief before returning the grin. "Oh really? I think you need to get that checked, it's not normal."

He began to laugh, and she found herself joining in the amusement.

Sea of brake lights.

"Maybe that's why Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan like you so much."

"Why's that?"

"Because you're funny."

Shrug.

"That's good to know, it's better than what I've been called in the past."

Bumper-to-bumper traffic.

"What else would they call you?"

Sanosuke looked out the driver's side window. "Oh, the usual... monster in the cage, steel-fisted rogue, that sort of stuff."

She shot him an incredulous look. "Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan would never say such things!"

Soft grin.

"I know. That's why I like visiting them and Dr. Genzai. To them I'm just Sano-niichan."

It had a nice ring to it. She smiled to herself.

"Those kids are so full of energy, I don't know where they get it from."

"Maybe from all the sweets you give them."

"Hey, you gotta keep the fans happy, you know."

Laughter.

"So they were bribes all along?"

"Nah, more like party favors. Every time I go visit Doc and the girls, it's like a party and they treat me like I'm part of the family."

The comment stilled something in her, like a revelation that unveiled a facet of her own self, something that Sanosuke had seen and apologized for intruding. What she found in the company of Dr. Genzai and the little ones was something the fighter sought for himself: family. She mentally cursed. How badly he must've needed that warmth when he grew up with none himself. She chided herself for behaving like a lower life form, claiming territory she had no right to stake.

Slow-crawling traffic.

"Sagara-san..."

"Hm?"

"... I'm sorry for the way I behaved at the house earlier."

Smile.

"It's cool, everyone needs a quiet place to get away from everything. If nothing, it's my bad for disturbing you. You probably just wanted to chill with them like I did."

Silence.

_"But if my foster mother at the orphanage didn't see me do this for you up in heaven..."_

At the orphanage...

Unease.

"It's incredible, your sense of perception..."

Sanosuke barely caught the whispered words in his ears. He heard her sigh quietly in her seat. He felt as if the tension about her softened, and he wondered why she had to be on her guard at all times. Defensiveness meant there was something she needed to protect, something needing to be hidden. Like her name?

Cleared throat.

"Um... would it be safe to just call you by Shirakawa-san?"

She turned her head at the question.

"I-I mean, the name Megumi must be special that only the Genzai household knows it."

Stare.

"And I promise, really promise to never call you Megumi if you don't want me to."

Sanosuke chanced to turn his gaze from the traffic and look at her, eyes of brown surprise meeting his. He was lost.

Stutter.

"That is... what I meant to say... is..."

_ Work, brain, work!_

Blink.

"How about a deal, Sagara-san?"

Disarmed.

"Huh?"

Smile.

"For being curt to you this evening, I'll let you keep what you know a secret. You _can_ keep secrets, can't you?"  
A challenge.

"For you? Of course! But, I'd like to add something to the table, if that's all right."

_ Wheeling and dealing, are we?_

"And that is?"

Provisos.

"If I get to keep your name a secret, can I call you by that name when we're in Dr. Genzai's house?"

Hesitation.

"I suppose there's no harm in that..."

"And we get to share the Genzai household fair and square."

She suppressed a giggle as she nodded. "Okay."

"And last but not least, more of a favor to me than anything... could you call me by _my_ name?"

Confusion.

"I thought I already do that."

"... I meant calling me by my first name."

She looked ahead at the traffic with her lips in a slight pout, the fighter finding the act adorable. "I don't know, Sagara-san, those are a lot for just keeping a secret for me."

Sanosuke relented and gave an acquiescing nod. So what if he knew her nickname. And it _might_ be a bit too much to ask someone who had previously been skittish around him to be so informal with him. Curse his laid-back personality. Or perhaps, he was hoping that informality would make her feel more comfortable around him. The last thing he wanted to do was push her on the defensive again. And something bad might happen if she kept pouting like that. _Those lips are just asking to be kissed..._

"You're right, I'm sorry."

The traffic started to move, and it didn't even take a minute to get to her apartment, she lived that close to the old doctor's house. As she unbuckled herself and opened the door, Sanosuke was at a loss for words once more, feeling stupid for his tongue not working when he wanted to say much more. He watched as she stepped out, only to turn and give him a bow.

"Thank you for going through the trouble of taking me home."

"It's no trouble, really..."

Hand held out.

"So this is good night then."

His hand reached for hers and shook it ever so gently. "Good night, Megumi-san."

Reprimand.

"I thought you said only at Dr. Genzai's house."

Cringe.

"You're right, my bad."

Smile.

"I'll let it slide... _Sanosuke-san_."

She watched the look on his face change from apology to a toothy grin. When she loosened her hold, Sanosuke was so reluctant to let her little hand go. She was quick on her feet to reach the second story level of the building, and had he blinked, he would've missed her looking back and the swift wave of her hand goodbye.

His vehicle would remain stationary for a few more moments, the sound of his name from her lips stuck on repeat in his mind.

* * *

As she closed the door behind her, Megumi's heart began to pound wildly at the sight of a note on the floor, no doubt slid under her door. She already knew what it said, they always said the same thing, and she always did as the note said. Giving herself a minute to compose herself, she dialed a number she memorized out of fear on her landline, anxiously waiting for the other end to pick up.

"Hello, my dear."

Her skin crawled at the endearment.

"I've got the money. How do I get it to you?"

"Now, now, no need for impatience."

"I don't have time for small talk. Message me the time and place."

"Oh, you can count on it. We'll be in touch, _dear_."

_Click._

Good thing she was near the couch when her legs gave. Even the briefest of encounters with those responsible for her predicament sucked the courage and strength from her. She promised herself time and again not to cry and to be brave, and even now as the tears threatened to spill, she had to tell herself that it was okay, that she had the money, that her parents would be all right.

For now.

Curling into a ball, she held herself tight and prayed to God to remove the fears inside her, to slow the pounding of her heart in her ears. It would be a long time before her worries ran themselves weary, and just before she drifted off to a dreamless sleep, a wish for a steadfast confidant to lean on.

* * *

Plopping onto the bench of the gym's locker room, Sanosuke wiped the sweat across his brow. Today's workout session was intense, he must've drunk gallons of Gatorade to replenish the fluid that streamed from his pores. Katsu must not be telling him something about his next few fights, because all of a sudden the whole crew put padded suits on and sparred with him in the cage, four on one. He took a few blows to the back and chest, but at the sound of the whistle, three of his buddies were on the floor with the fourth one out of breath and screaming for thanks that the spar was over. As he wiped himself down with the towel Katsu threw him, his trainers griped and whined at the speed of his attacks, the kicks that they didn't think would carry full force because for crying out loud, they were only sparring.

"And what's with that grin on your face, Sano?"

"Yeah, what's up with that? If you're in such a good mood, why are you kicking our asses like you're in a bad one?"

Shrug.

"Sorry, guys. I just felt motivated."

"Motivated? I feared for my life in that cage!"

They all laughed at the wide-eyed trainer. Sanosuke threw him an apology over his shoulder as he got up to hit the shower. It would make sense for him to feel that way. Satonaka Ryou was a happily married man and a father of two. He was sure his wife would not appreciate him beating the snot out of him just so he can crawl back home for dinner. As the hot water sprayed all over him, he closed his eyes and imagined what it would be like to open the door to his apartment and hear a happy mellow voice welcome him home.

"Dinner's in an hour, so hurry your ass up."

His eyes snapped open.

"What?"

Katsu frowned as he leaned against the post closest to the entrance of the shower room. "Have you not heard one word of what I've just said for the past minute?"

Sanosuke looked down as he washed the suds from his skin. "I'm sorry, Katsu, I was daydreaming a little."

Irritation forgotten.

"Really? What about?"

Smirk.

"Maybe I'll tell you over dinner. So where are we going, and who are we meeting?"  
Katsu took a small black book from his pocket. "Tonight, we dine with the king of electronics' best friend, who happens to be the hotel tycoon of Japan."

Sanosuke turned off the water and grabbed his towel. "You mean he's Yamashita-jiichan's friend?"

"Yup. We actually met him that night we went to the old man's ballroom, he was the one with the ivory cane."

"Oh."

"So get dressed, look nice, mind your manners and chew your food before speaking."

Squint.

"Hey, since when did you become our foster mother?"  
Grin.

Chuckle.

"Since you need to be told those things every time. Now get to steppin', we don't want to be late."

He followed Katsu out of the shower stalls and before he could ask what he was going to wear to a formal dinner meeting, he found a suit and tie hanging from his locker door, complete with socks and dress shoes. It was amazing how his best friend was a walking department store.

* * *

_ Failed catch._

_ Frustration._

_ "Mommy, I give up! I can't catch this stupid fan!"_

_ Pout._

_ "Will you be that easily discouraged, Megumi-chan?"_

_ Sigh._

_ "I'm just mad at myself... it's like the fan is purposely avoiding my hands!"_

_ "Come here, and put those fans down for a moment. Now, I want you to close your eyes, and imagine the feel of the fan in your hand."_

_ Instructions followed._

_ "Okay..."_

_ "Now, I want you to think of how it feels like to pet Shiro-kun's head while you listen to Daddy tell you a story."_

_ Giggle._

_ "It feels soft and fuzzy."_

_ Smile._

_ "Feels delicate, right?"  
Nod._

_ "Now imagine the fan in your hand... imagine that you are throwing it in the air, and that as you catch it, you feel warmth and comfort of petting Shiro-kun's head."_

_ A pause._

_ "Now open your eyes. Would you like to try the move again one more time?"  
"Okay."_

_ Pose._

_ Fan thrown. _

_ Caught._

_ Perfect execution._

_ Cheers of success._

_ "Wonderful job, Megumi!"_

* * *

Rubbing the blue chalk against the tip of his cue stick, he eyed the angle of the shot he was about to take with great concentration. He took this position behind the white ball, aimed, and shot.

Three solid into the corner pocket.

"So what do you think of his offer, Sano?" Katsu asked, casually watching his best friend study which angle he'd take for the next shot.

The fighter shrugged. "I thought he was really generous about it, and I wouldn't mind doing it. How hard is it to wear a bathrobe and stand next to a hot spring?" His manager laughed.

"You're gonna have to sink into the water, too, don't forget."

Five solid to the side pocket.

Sanosuke let out a chuckle. "Getting paid to relax in a hot spring is something only people dream of, it's a sweet deal. I can do that for a lifetime."

After missing his shot for the four ball, Katsu clapped Sanosuke's back and took his turn eyeing for angles. Sitting back down, he took a sip of his very watered down drink, pleased that the bartender poured just enough vodka like he asked. The billiards hall was packed, with each table crowded with mostly men, a few with women hooked around their arms. It was a great thing that the place was non-smoking. He took a deep breath in and let it slowly out, recounting the proposition given to them by the old man as his arthritic fingers tapped against his ivory cane. It turned out he owned half of the hot springs all over Japan, and he wanted to bring more of the younger customers to stay at his inns. All Sanosuke had to do was shoot a few advertisements for him, and from time to time make a few appearances at the inns. Like old man Yamashita, there was something about Watari Oda that Sanosuke liked, particularly the way he addressed him like a grandkid. Or perhaps it was the way he told him of his travels to the Serengeti, balloon rides over Europe, and the boxing fights he had when he was the fighter's age.

As he downed the last of his drink, Sanosuke found himself smiling at the fact that he liked listening to old people's stories. He looked back at the billiard table and saw that he was about to lose this round.

"I don't know how you're so good at this, Katsu," he said, shaking his head in concession.

"Me neither, but I guess sneaking out at night from the orphanage helped a little."

"You bad seed, you. I'm off to the john, I'll be right back."

On the way to the restroom, he reached for his cell phone, half-wishing it would ring and it would be her on the other line, half-wanting to call her up himself. His brow furrowed at the last thought, for as much as he wanted to hear her voice, he knew that the moment he dials her number, he would lose all nerve to his tongue and the best he'd probably do was stutter. Like a retard. He bit back a grunt and walked past the bar, was about to push the men's restroom door open when he stopped in his tracks. Slowly, he turned around and craned his head around the corner to look at the patrons by the bar, his eyes scouring for what had caught his attention, wondering if it was all illusion. His breath caught. There, at the far corner of the bar, sat a woman staring blankly at a glass of red liquid, lost in thought and oblivious to the person who just lightly grazed her elbow and the following apology.

Megumi.

Maybe all those years of just wishing for something to happen when he was a kid was finally coming true. Sanosuke just couldn't believe it. But what was she doing here? She didn't look like the type to hang out in a billiards hall. Was she there with a friend? Or worse yet, with another man?

That last question bothered him to action. How could she leave herself open to the preying eyes of these men around her without anyone to protect her? The place wasn't exactly a good boys' club. She was in a business suit, looking like she had come straight from work to this place, her back straight like a stem of a flower about to wilt. It took no more than a breath for him to stand right next to her.

"Kasumi-san," he said in a low tone, his concern growing at her unresponsiveness.

Closer to her ear this time. "Megumi-san..."

She snapped out of her reverie, turning her head towards the fighter. "Sagara-san..."

He looked at her with wonder and worry, those brown eyes looked so lost, the haphazard nudges of the crowding passersby failed to disengage his gaze from her. "Are you all right? What are you doing here?"

She remained silent, Sanosuke noticing a crumpled piece of paper trapped in the crushing clutch of her right hand. She didn't look like she would say anything until a tipsy patron pushed her against the bar. The fighter reacted.

"Hey pal, watch where you're going!" he barked, his hand reaching out to her as he moved to wedge himself between the drunk and Megumi. The nudge must've jolted her, for she gathered herself, got out of her seat and began to walk away.

"Meg-Kasumi-san, wait!"

Unbelievably, the unsteady man was able to grab her first, latching painfully onto her arm. "Missy, I'm really _really_ sorry about that-"

She tried to shake him off. "It's okay, accidents happen, goodbye."

It was like seeing Santorini getting a hold of her all over again, and he was seeing red. "Let go of her if you value your life."

"Hey man, I saw her first, go get your own woman!"

Sanosuke had enough of the antics and wrenched the man's hand off her person, pushing him back so forcefully that he landed on a bunch of other patrons, the ruckus enough to catch attention to the drunk and away from them. Quickly, he took her hand and weaved through the noisy crowd. If things kept going the way they were, he was sure to get into a number of fights before the night was over. To Katsu, that would be very bad PR. They had to leave.

"Katsu," he called out as he approached their table, "pay for our tab, we gotta go."

"Wha-Kasumi-chan, what're you doing here?"

"Pay now, ask questions later, we gotta get out of here."

"Okay, okay."

As Katsu settled the bill with their waitress, Sanosuke noted that the hand he still held was cold to the touch. "Hey," he said as he held up her hand in his, "are you cold?"

Flustered and confused, she tried to take her hand away. "I'll be all right, Sagara-san. I just need to go home." With dismay the fighter relinquished her hand. "Like right now."

Sanosuke caught sight of his manager making his way back towards them. "Then I'll take you home."

"That won't be necessary, I'd like to go home alone."

He looked at her like she was speaking another language. "You _are _going home alone, and that means no one else will be pulling you into this riot because I'm gonna make sure none of these parasites hook onto you." He took off his dinner jacket and draped it around her before taking her hand again, signaling for Katsu to meet them outside of the billiards hall. "Follow me."

Megumi knew that there was no use arguing with him, not when she's been seen despite her efforts not to be. Who knew they'd be at the same place as the drop-off point? It felt like hours trying to get out of the crowded hall, all the while her mind still trying to digest the information revealed to her in that letter.

_Letter..._

She looked down and found the crumpled paper still in her hand. She remembered the initial shock she felt when she read it, and while she was being tugged away mindlessly, her heart couldn't help but re-live the helplessness all over again.

Front door.

_It's all right._

Parking lot.

_Don't cry._

Waiting car.

_Hold it in._

"In you go, watch your head."

Seated and strapped.

_Hold it in..._

"Sano, drop me off first, the house isn't that far away from here. I'm sure you can take her home by yourself." When the fighter remained silent, Katsu grew a little concerned. He was grateful that Sanosuke had the mind to know how to handle himself at the pool hall, especially with her around. If a repeat of what happened to Santorini occurred, he wouldn't know how to dig Sanosuke out of that hole the fighters' league would bury him in. Looking at the lamp posts that flitted too fast for his liking, he prayed that Sano would also have enough sense to get all of them home safely.

Katsu got out of the car and gave them both a curt farewell, knowing that words would unlikely reach either of them, hoping that Sanosuke would find out what happened. Watching them drive off, he got his keys out to open the gate that led to his front door. He wondered if he should wait for his best friend get all the details before he spilled anything to Tae. He sighed.

"God, I hope he doesn't do anything stupid..."

* * *

Not a word was said between them, not when they got to her place, not even when he unbuckled her seat and half-pulled, half-carried her out of the front seat. Sanosuke was at a loss for words; she went from catatonic, to confused, to not seeming to care as to what happened to her. Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, he suspected the letter that was still in her hand had something to do with how she was acting. As much as he wanted to know what was written on it, as much as he wanted to find out who was making her feel this way and pound the living daylights out of them, as much as he wanted to take the lost look away from her eyes, he knew better than to crowd her in. Even if it might kill him slowly, and it probably would, he would let her open up to him on her own time.

"Where are your keys?"

Silently, she reached into her purse, fished them out and gave it to him. Once inside, he turned on the lights, locked the door behind them and led her to sit on the couch. Spying a throw blanket, he took it and covered her from the shoulders down. Sanosuke reached for her hand once more, her temperature had not changed since their getaway.

"I'm going to make you some tea, okay?"

He didn't wait for approval and moved to the kitchen, easily finding a kettle and the tea canister at the corner of the counter.

Megumi knew that she was home, was brought there by a man she barely knew, who was now pouring water into her kettle and boiling it to make tea. How did it get to this? She looked down at the letter, her eyes slowly sliding shut as if to block the pain that rippled in her chest. However careful she was in trying to hide anything remotely connected to her family's situation, all her efforts failed today. She let herself go, let herself be consumed by worry and fear to the point of helplessness that she couldn't even function long enough to stay out of sight. Megumi didn't know what she'd say to the man now taking two mugs out of her cupboard. She knew she would be interrogated. Didn't she promise herself not to involve anybody? And this man who saved her from a drunken brawl was definitely _some_body... who knew Dr. Genzai and the little girls, who knew her best friend, whom the whole world knew.

She wanted to dissolve into the couch.

"Here's some tea, it should warm you up."

Seeing the mug set before her on the coffee table, she wanted to cry.

Don't cry.

"Please, Kasumi-san... drink some..."

Blinking, she obeyed. Sanosuke was relieved she still had half the mind to move herself. He watched her take a few sips before taking one from his mug, his eyes following the long lines of her delicate fingers wrapped around the mug. It wasn't until she cradled the mug in her lap that he noticed the hot liquid in it was rippling. She was trembling.

"Kasumi-san," his voice cooed with worry. Placing his mug down, he lightly touched her forehead with the back of his hand. "I'm no doctor, but you're a little too warm." He tried to take the mug away from her hands but she wouldn't let go, her head now bowed down and eyes staring blankly at the contents of her mug. "Kasumi-san, please let go." When she gave no indication of doing so, he gently pried off each finger from the mug and took it away from her.

Suddenly, a petering voice.

"Sagara-san, why are you here?"

He was a little surprised. "I... I wanted to get you back to your home in one piece... but it looks like I won't be able to keep that promise because you look like you're about to fall apart."

"... I think I'm already in pieces..."

He replied with a small smile. "You got some glue then?"

Blink.

She let the corners of her mouth lift a bit, enough for the fighter to triumph in his efforts.

"Is it okay if I stay in pieces for a while?"

Pause.

"As long as you can go back to one piece."

When no reply came, he leaned closer towards her. "Listen... you don't have to say anything you don't want to... you don't have to tell anybody... if you can't hold it in all the time, you can let go a little... you don't have to say anything..."

_Don't cry..._

Her head felt so heavy, she let it sink down further, oblivious to the sound of fabric rustling and the coffee table moving. Her shoulders were pushed up, her head lifted, and all she could see were Sanosuke's brown eyes.

"I know it's too much to ask of you to depend on somebody you barely know... but... can I do something for you?"

Blink.

_What can you possibly do for me, when my mother is gravely ill, my father being forced to work as a slave for the devil himself, while I live my life everyday in terror and blackmail?_

She was about to shake her head when she was pulled against him, his arms wrapping around her in an embrace that felt warmer than the sun. "I'm sorry," he said, his hand gently touching her head. "I don't know how else to help you..."

She continued to tremble in his arms, out of fear or sorrow, he couldn't tell, until she slowly turned her face against his chest, one arm reaching around him, and then the other. He tightened his hold on her when he felt her sag into him, her body quaking silently against him his only clue that she was crying.

"It's okay, Megumi-san... it's gonna be okay..."

They were only words, but the comfort they provided her was like air to a drowning person. All this time she had relied on herself, depended on nobody, dealt with her own problems. Because she lived her life mechanically, she forgot how consoling it was to be held by another human being.

It wouldn't be until the wee hours of the morning that she would wake up to find herself sitting in his lap, her liberator's arms loosely draped around her and fast asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Sanosuke's eyes cracked open at the movement that stirred against his legs, his throat letting out a groggy sigh and arms reflexively holding the body against him even closer. She was warm, so much warmer than last night. Pupils dilating to the poorly lit room, he took the time to get his bearings. The sitting position they were in last night fell to a horizontal one, the couch barely able to accommodate them on their sides. The head that rested below his chin lifted to hide in the comfortable crook of his neck, her breath hot against his skin. If he was barely awake the last few seconds, he was wide-eyed sober now. The woman he never thought could trust him was now lying in his arms, breathing softly against his neck, animating his heart from slow to skipping beats with each rise and fall of her chest. Looking up at the ceiling, he closed his eyes and mouthed a thank-you to God, so glad that he took the initiative last night in taking care of her.

Mumble.

"Sanosuke…"

Pause.

"Yes?"

Head tilt.

"Thank you."

Looking down at her sleepy face, he couldn't help but tuck a few long straying strands of hair behind her ear, the pad of his thumb lingering against her cheekbone. "You're very welcome."

Sigh.

"…I don't have any glue…"

Smile.

"That's okay," he said, daring to caress the softness of her cheek with his knuckles. She was so beautiful, he couldn't think straight.

Impulsiveness.

"Will this help?"

He bent his head to kiss her on the forehead, the contact against her smooth skin tingling his lips. It wasn't lingering nor was it quick, but long enough to elicit a wakeful intake of breath from her. He knew it was like stealing, he didn't ask for permission; and yet, the look in her eyes when they blinked at him yielded something he couldn't explain. Sanosuke wanted nothing more than to drown in her close attention, to touch her petite nose with his lips that seemed to get closer with each heartbeat. She didn't give him quite that, instead met his mouth with her own in a breathtaking kiss that threatened to rocket his heart out of his chest. He was no longer in control of himself; his hands moved to cradle her head and lose themselves in her hair, his legs moving to tangle themselves against hers. The contact alone of her lips against his sent fiery pulses of euphoria through his veins, and with each second of contact, he felt as if he was flying, ascending and falling at the same time.

_Thud._

"Ow…"

Sanosuke opened his eyes and found himself on the floor, the warmth in his arms the bunched up mass of a blanket that managed to wrap around his legs twice over. How did he end up like this? Taking a deep breath, he was more disappointed that what he thought he experienced was just a dream. He sighed in disappointment. _Of course…_ it would be too good to be true for a beautiful intelligent woman who could barely trust him to give him such loving affection, not when he was only walking muscle and had so much more to prove.

Much more.

He picked himself up off the floor, saving the pity party for later and poked his head into every nook and cranny of her small apartment. When he found no one, he was about to bolt through the front door when he found a note taped below the peephole, neat handwriting indenting the smooth surface of the elegant stationery.

_Sagara-san—_

_I had to leave early for work. I am incredibly sorry for the inconvenience I put you through._

_Please leave the key to the door (on the coffee table) in my mailbox._

_--Megumi_

_P.S. Thank you for all your help. It gave me courage._



Smiling as he looked over the coffee table, he reached for his cell as he took the key in his hand. Before he could press a button, it rang.

Katsu.

Connect.

"Hello?"

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"Is she okay?"

Grin.

"Yeah, she's gonna be okay."

Pause.

"Good. 'Cause you gotta get your ass out here, you got a lot of shit to do! Have you forgotten what today is?"

Thoughtful.

_Oh shit._

"The fight!"

Frustration.

"I'm _sooo_ glad you've come back to your senses. Sano, you can't just do whatever you want—"

"I know, I know, it's just that—"

"A lot is riding on this fight—"

"I know, it's my bad, Katsu—"

"And do you know how deep in shit I'd be if Tae found out Kasumi-chan's state of mind and you wrangling her around like a doll?"

Defense.

"I had to get her out of there, man, they would've eaten her alive!"

Pained sigh.

"I know, I know… I would've done the same… but for the love of God, Sano, whatever happened to that expensive piece of technology I got you people call a cell phone?!"

"It's my bad already like I said!"

Katsu felt like he was berating a kid caught for wrapping toilet paper around a neighbor's tree. What was Kasumi doing to his best friend? "All right, never mind all that, it already happened."

Relief.

"Thanks, dude."

"But I expect a minute-to-minute recount of what happened. You're not gonna let me talk to Tae about this uninformed."

Grin.

"Ten four, Captain."

Sigh.

Appointment book.

"All right then, now hear this… I don't know if you've carbo loaded yet, and since the fight isn't till nine tonight, you gotta eat a lot of pasta pronto. You got that?"  
Nod.

"Kapeesh."

"Good. We have to be at the Maple Hotel at one today for a meeting with Fight magazine and photos with you and your fans right after that. Then we gotta meet Watari-jiichan's photographer for your first ad shoot at his hot spring just north of the city. I was promised we'd be done by five. You're free to do whatever you want after that, just no—"

"Trouble, I know, Katsu."

Snort.

"I suggest you just hang out at the gym, I have a feeling a big fan of yours will be showing up to worship the ground you walk on."

"Wha?"

"It's the winner of a contest we held with Fight magazine, his post card was the winning entry. It helps keep your one-of-the-masses street cred."

"Oh."

"So… any questions?"  
Pause.

"Just one."

"Okay."

"… Who am I fighting again tonight?"

Disbelief.

"Are you kidding me?!"

Laughter.

"Playing, I'm just playing!"

* * *

Nothing. Absolutely nothing was going her way that day. From the second she entered the hospital, she had to tolerate being whistled at by some nameless patient who was probably psychotic every time she passed by the psychiatric wing. She wrinkled her brow at the fact that the chute that connected the pathology lab to her floor was out of order, so she had to walk all specimens down to the basement herself.

From the eighth floor.

And just when she thought she could go back to seeing her other patients, more new ones would come in which she'd have to see, and it was just her luck that no residents were around when the new admissions struck. She blamed it all on the pen thief who took her favorite pen. Without it, she had to scramble around for something to sign medication order forms and write progress notes with, delaying her work longer than usual, and everybody knew that no one really lent their pen because they're afraid of losing theirs themselves. And there wasn't a single pharmaceutical rep around who usually doled out those free pens by the box. The initial irritation of losing it threw her rhythm off. She would've tolerated using something she didn't like for the sake of progress. There were very few things she was fond of in her life, and one of them was her pen. It was the kind that weighed light enough in her fingers and wrote like silk, the one that took her countless tries with other pens to find. She held back a grunt when she was given a bunch of patient folders to update. It wasn't the time to reminisce of her quest for her holy pen, nor did she have time to mourn its loss.

And surely none for message she got last night.

Just the thought of it made her grit her teeth and raise her chin a little, the nurses by the medication room taking notice, wondering if Dr. Ito had come by to harass her again with dinner invitations. They all signaled with eye contact to watch their favorite doctor scribble something on an imaging request form, shake the pen because the ink more than likely skipped, and feed the sheet into the fax machine. When the machine ate the straight sheet into a gnarly crumple, Dr. Shirakawa was about to blow.

"Code blue by the fax machine, ladies."

Chair.

"Take a load off, dear, and let me fax that for you."

Mug.

"Drink that, it's magic. I call it the elixir of whoop-ass."

_Tsk tsk._

"Where's that fancy pen of yours, the one with the shiny barrel that reflects light like a disco ball?"

Laughter.

"Here, it's nothing like your pen, but I keep it as a spare for emergencies such as this."

Black gel pen.

She tried it on the crumpled fax order sheet, and was surprised at how smoothly it wrote. "Where did you—"

"Kunio Junichi, the blood pressure meds guy. Nice guy, highly fashionable. Has a facial tic though."

Giggles.

Pointing.

"Who gave you all this work?"

Grimace.

"The progress notes weren't done…"

"Dear, we'll update you on them and you'll be done in no time—"

"If you promise to come to Mika-chan's party on Friday."

Hazy recollection.

"Hey, I think I remember you telling me about that."

"Yeah, before that snake Ito came by to hit on you. So warm up those vocal cords, honey, you owe us about five songs."

"What?"

"Did you think all this pampering is free? You've never once hung out with us, and I think it's long past due for a girls' night out. So what do you say?"

Pause.

Smile.

"I don't really have a choice, do I?"

Shaking heads.

"Thank you for being so kind, everyone."

They returned her gratitude with a grin as she finished the last of the drink she was given. Standing up, she smoothed out her blouse and white coat, eyeing the patient folders with a stern look. "Okay… I think the whoop-ass is working."

* * *

In the foyer of a majestic hotel, Katsu, Sanosuke and their crew pushed their way through he swarm of photographers and reporters, the bright flashes and cacophony of questions seeming like an audiovisual blur. At the foot of the limestone stairway, more fans crowded them in from all sides, Sanosuke signing a few more autographs and posing for a few pictures with them until Katsu managed to corral them all into the van waiting for them in the driveway.

"My God, those girls can _really_ squeal," the fighter commented as he rubbed at the holes of his ears.

"Yeah, but you've made them _oh so _happy with just a pose and scribble." Katsu grinned at his best friend, all of a sudden feigning tears of joy. "Finally, all my hard work coming to fruition… you're all grown up, Sano…"

"Man, cut that out, you sound like a school marm."

Shrug.

"I can't help it, we were raised by one. Anyway, it's time for more pictures, we're on our way to Watari-jiichan's hot spring."

"I hope they feed us, I'm really hungry."

"Again?!"

Laughter echoed throughout the van as they made their way through the stoplight that led to the on-ramp of the highway. The driver had just turned on the radio and Van Halen was soon screaming from the speakers. They didn't make it past the intersection when their van was suddenly swerved to avoid a kid who suddenly jumped onto the street.

"What the fuck, Ryou?!"

"Dude, that kid came out of nowhere, I swear!"

Katsu looked out the passenger window. "Shit… Ryou, stop and turn around. Sano, call one one zero."

The trainer was appalled. "Oh my God, I didn't hit him, did I?"

Grim.

"No. The car in the other lane did."

Doing as he was told, Ryou turned around and parked the van close to the intersection. Getting out of the car, cries of a frantic mother filled their ears. As Katsu asked her to calm down a bit and tell him what happened, two of the other trainers took out the first aid kit from the van while Ryou set up cones and flares to direct traffic away from the scene of the accident. The child was unconscious, with blood weeping from deep abrasions on his leg and arm where he landed on the concrete. The trainers eyed his little body for any visible breaks, finding none. When they discovered he was pulseless and not breathing, Sanosuke began to perform CPR, the boy's mother distraught with tears.

"Please, save my son!"

"Ma'am, you have to calm down, an ambulance and the police are coming," Katsu said, holding the woman back, praying that the medics would arrive sooner.

Counting in his head, the fighter delivered light thrusts against the child's chest before breathing into his tiny mouth. "Come on, kid, come back," he muttered, pushing against his chest once more. After several more sets, the little boy stirred.

"We got him back!" Sanosuke exclaimed.

"The medics are here!" alerted Ryou.

It didn't take long for the paramedics to take over the scene and place the child onto a stretcher. The police were next to arrive, and Ryou volunteered to stay and give his statement on what happened. The mother thanked the men profusely before climbing into the back of the ambulance, and they watched as the policemen got in their cruiser to escort the ambulance to the hospital.

Standstill.

"Uh… what just happened?"  
Silence.

"A mother nearly lost a son."

They all got into the van and proceeded onto their next venue, each one too stunned to utter words, Katsu's comment too poignant to follow. Ryou shut the radio off and drove the van without music for the first time. When they got to the hot springs, Katsu placated the worried photographer with a curt explanation before stepping back to watch his best friend bathe in hot water and bright lights. Noting his men on their cell phones, the manager reached for his own and waited for the person on the other line to hear just how much he cherished her.

* * *

"Zanza-san, look to your left please."

Shutter.

"Tilt your head down a little…"

Flash.

Pause.

"Zanza-san, please don't frown."

"Sorry…"

Capture.

"Okay, can I get more light reflected on Zanza-san?… Great… All right, Zanza-san, I need you to sit on the third step into the hot spring."

Obeyed.

"Now rest your arms up against the rocks behind you… good, now could you give me a look of total relaxation?…"

Conflicted.

"Zanza-san?"  
Katsu knew that the photographer wouldn't reach Sanosuke through this method, not when he was probably thinking of what happened on the way to the hot spring. His eyes were zoned out on the steam from the water. He was so readable; the manager knew that the fighter had his thoughts on the little boy who nearly died. Ever since they were little, Sanosuke hid his emotions and distractions poorly. Not wanting to lose face with the photographer nor Watari-jiichan's faith in his best friend, he approached the bald man by the camera and whispered a few choice words.

"Hey Sano," Katsu called out, crossing his arms over his suit vest. "Remember that time when we were little, we went to that shrine by Toki-baachan's house and you ate so much takoyaki you fell asleep on one of the benches?"

Recollection.

"Yeah…"

Flash.

"And remember how she looked and looked for the sweet tarts she baked for the monks that she said were cooling by the window sill?"  
Slow nod.

Shutter.

"Aw man, she was so mad 'cause she thought somebody stole them…"

Head scratch.

"Right… well, she had every right to be, because I ate them all."

Jolt.

"You _ate_ ALL of them?! Dude, how could you, those were for the monks!"

Flash.

Shrug.

"Call it a crime of passion, or rather hunger. You had all the money she gave us for snacks and you takoyakied yourself to poverty and coma."

Incredulity.

"Oh, so now it's my fault you ate all the sweet tarts?"

Lighting changed.

"No, I was fully aware of what I did, no one had a gun to my head… I just had my stomach in my head, that's all."

Sanosuke was unconsciously shaking his head, his gaze now back in the far past. "She was hella pissed… I thought she was gonna go Rambo on the whole neighborhood…"

Flash.

Questioning look.

"Wait, why are you telling me this now?"

Sigh.

"Well, I just wanted you to remember how good it felt to feel _that_ full in the tummy."

Eyes closed.

Grin.

Flash.

"…Yeah… those takoyaki balls were sooo good…"

A series of flashes went off from all directions of the hot spring, capturing the look that the photographer had hoped to get for the entire photo shoot, the bald man extremely pleased and giving Katsu a thumbs-up for his help. When he thanked every one on the set for all their hard work, the fighter got out of the hot spring and apologized to the photographer for being difficult. Instead of reproof, he got praise for being naturally comfortable in front of the camera.

"I look forward to another shoot with you, Zanza-san. Thank you for being pleasant."

Sanosuke was sheepishly confused. "Uh, I wasn't doing much though…" The bald man laughed at him.

"Trust me, when you work with supermodels, all you get is drama and grief. This was like a vacation for me."

Katsu watched as Sanosuke made more small talk with the photographer and the rest of his crew, taking his suit jacket from a chair. He didn't think that his best friend would ever forget the feeling of satiety from hunger, when all one knew from childhood was its curdling sting in the stomach for days and the thievery that resulted to temporarily sate it. He took a look at the remains of his sandwich that was catered for them by the hot spring resort. Slipping into his jacket, he took the last morsel and popped it in his mouth, chewing slowly as he glanced over at the trainers now laughing with the lively photographer, Sanosuke taking a bite to eat himself.

Those who rummaged through trash cans and waited outside the back of restaurants for morsels knew what it was truly like to feel hunger. And being orphaned and homeless, Katsu knew exactly how it felt, for he was one of them.

* * *

"Code orange, ER, code orange, ER, code orange, ER…"

Dr. Shirakawa lifted her head up from her paperwork to look at the intercom speaker with a frown. Now what? She was so far behind updating, and from the looks of it, she wouldn't make it out of the hospital before dinner. But she knew better than to ignore an impending influx of patients, and as she left the tranquility of her office, she wondered what calamity had struck this time.

Several of the residents and nurses were running to the stairwell access door, and she didn't hesitate to follow. All of them knew that the elevators would be slower to take. Voices over voices echoed throughout the stairwell, asking if anybody knew what was going on and what they were to expect. When they finally got to the first floor, they hurried to the ER, only to find the place packed with stretchers of people, bandaged and battered, drops of blood spattered across the floor.

"We've got more coming, Doc," said the head nurse of the ER, arms full of gauze and normal saline. "Some guy high on drugs collided with two packed tour buses, both of them swerved and tipped over… we had to send the other bus' patients to another hospital."

Asking her briefly who needed immediate fluid resuscitation, the nurse pointed her to those beds and Dr. Shirakawa sprang into action. There was no way all the nurses could keep up with this many patients. One by one, she hung the bags of saline, glancing over her shoulder once in a while to look for the attending ER doctor covering the floor. Spotting him running to the opposite side of the room, she decided it best to take care of who she can first. Scanning the room, she looked for her residents, and when she only found two, she marched to a phone on the wall, dialed the operator and had them paged.

"What do you mean you're running out of blood?!" yelled the ER attending across the room, his neck bent to pin the phone receiver against his ear. "We've got at least eight patients needing at least two bags each, two of them have already bled a liter on my floor!"

That was not a good sign.

* * *

Outside the gym's parking lot, a foreigner with sandy blonde hair and a black case stood against the wall by the entrance, looking to and fro with white headphones in his ears. Ryou didn't think that they would get back earlier than five, and Katsu didn't expect for anybody to be at the office till after six. Knowing that they had no other engagements that day, the foreigner had to be none other than Zanza's lucky number one fan. Nudging Sanosuke to attention, he alerted the fighter of his visitor.

"I hope you paid attention to all those English lessons Toki-baachan gave us," the manager said with a grin.

Awkwardness.

"Dude, I only know four words in English. 'Hello,' 'fight,' 'win', and 'goodbye'."

The men laughed as they got out of the van. "Be nice to him, Sano. You represent all of Japan, after all," Katsu said before walking off to greet their visitor first. The young man straightened his posture, took out the headphones from his ears and looked positively nervous.

Japanese.

"Hello, my name is Fisher Austin. It's nice to meet you and thank you for letting me be here."

Bow.

"Wow, your Japanese is excellent! You might just save my pal's brain from working too hard. My name is Katsu, and hey," he said in a hushed tone, "do me a favor and don't let Zanza know just yet that you can speak our language, okay?"

"Uh, okay…"

"Good! Hey Sano, come over here and meet Boston-san!"

"… Um, it's Austin."

Embarrassed.

"Sorry, Austin-san."

As he stepped closer, Katsu was wondering what was going through the kid's head. Would the Zanza that has been glorified in sports news and magazines meet his expectations in person? Sanosuke took off his sunglasses, flashed a grin at the visitor and extended his hand out.

English.

"Hello, my name is Sanosuke Sagara."

Tremulous.

"M-my name… my name is Austin Fisher, it's great to finally meet you, Mr. Sagara."

Sanosuke held his laughter when the kid's scrawny hand could barely shake his. Then again, he probably should ease his grip. Katsu smiled and introduced the others to the starry-eyed fan, pleased that he kept their little deal a secret so far. Watching his best friend twist his brains for English words provided entertainment no money could buy. When everyone was acquainted, he followed the rest of the men into the gym, leaving Sanosuke to find a means of easier communication with the kid. Chuckling to himself, he walked into his office and pressed the playback button on the answering machine. His best friend was going to chase him down the parking lot again when he finds out.

* * *

"Uh…"

Points.

"This? This is my instrument."

Puzzled.

"What instrument?"

Case opened.

Brass.

"My trumpet."

Grin.

"You play?"

Sheepish.

"Yeah… it's the reason I'm here in Japan. My school has a music exchange program with one of the schools here, and after we won nationals this year, we get to come here as a reward. Pretty cool, huh?"

"Slow speaking, please."

Awkward smile.

"Er, sorry…"

Japanese.

"I came all this way to meet you, and I even learned your language just so I can ask you a lot of questions, so please don't tell Katsu-san that you know that I can speak Japanese… please?"

Shock.

Simmer.

"Katsu… that _punk_…"

"Um… I'm sorry…"

Sanosuke looked at the teenager. "Nah, don't feel bad. My manager's always finding ways to make me squirm… But hey, you're speaking like a native, that makes me really happy."

"Really? Thanks!"

Thoughtful pause.

"So… Austin-san, right? I've never heard that name before."

Shrug.

"It's the capital of Texas."

"You mean, cowboys-and-NASA Texas?"

Impressed.

"Cool, you know about it?!"

"Travel channel. I got it on cable. They've got subtitles."

Sanosuke joined the young man in laughter. In the next few minutes, the fighter took him inside the gym and showed him the workout facility, the sparring mats, and the weight room. After the tour, he was given a shirt with Katsu's training team logo on it, a poster of Zanza wearing a championship belt, and a little thank-you gift from the magazine that sponsored his meeting with the mixed martial artist. After the battery in Austin's camera ran out from taking so many pictures, he thanked them profusely for the opportunity of meeting with them. Sanosuke waved him off.

"Oh, don't worry about it, we're people just like you, and it's always good to meet new friends. I just hope you're not stalker material."

Austin laughed. "Nah, I'm straight on that. I'm a huge fan and all, but I've got a lot of other things that eat up my time other than sleep."

"Like your band?" Sanosuke suggested.

"Yeah, especially the band. I mean, I wake up at five in the morning just to make it to morning practice on the field in thirty minutes."

"Are you serious?!"

"Yeah, and if you make a mistake, our band director stops the whole band on the field and makes you do push-ups in front of everybody, or run around the practice field until he gets tired of watching you run."

"Wow, it sounds like you're in boot camp."

The young man sighed. "That's what my Mom said… but I enjoy playing, so I endure it."

Sanosuke grinned at Austin and clapped him on the back. "Dedication… a very admirable trait." He glanced at his watch.

"Um, I know you have a fight tonight, and I'm so for sure gonna watch it on TV at my host family's house, so you probably need to go and get ready…"

When he was younger, Sanosuke idolized a very famous sumo wrestler of whom he had posters on his wall, and he often thought how cool it would've been to meet the gigantic athlete in person. He never imagined that he would become a person idolized by someone else. Seeing this boy's reaction was no different than his, only this time Austin got his wish of meeting Zanza in person.

"What time do you have to be back home, Austin-san?"

"Um… actually, I have to be at the school's music hall for rehearsal by seven… I guess I'd better get going…"

He sounded so dejected, not a good way to end the day. Not for his number one fan.

"Hey, you need a lift?"

Elated.

"Oh my God, are you for real?!"

* * *

It was a bad day to drive. Traffic was backed up as far as his eyes could see, and from what the GPS said, their destination was only ten more blocks away. Rolling down the window, he stuck his head out to look for any sign of movement. Up ahead and from behind, the main road was a huge parking lot. He sighed.

"Looks like we're going nowhere fast."

Austin fidgeted in his seat, his arms wrapped around his trumpet case as he looked out his window. "I… I'm really sorry for making you go through this."

Sanosuke nudged the boy at the elbow. "Hey, no worries, I wanted to drive in the first place." He glanced at the side mirror on the right, noting the median barrier's low height. His vehicle could easily clear it. "What time did you say you have to be back?"

"By seven."

Dashboard clock: six-thirty.

Pensive.

"…If you promise not to be too scared or sue me, I can get you there on time. It's just gonna be a little rough though."

Austin shrugged. "That's fine by me."

Resolve.

"Okay then, hold onto that case tight." Sanosuke looked for any oncoming traffic on the opposite side of the main road.

Clear.

"Here we go!"

The engine of the Range Rover roared over the curbs bordering both sides of traffic as if they were little rocks, and as soon as they cleared it, Sanosuke sped by every car and through every green light at breakneck speed. The GPS lagged a few seconds behind the fighter's lead foot on the gas pedal before finally re-routing them to the music hall. All heads outside the building's entrance turned at the vehicle as it screeched to a jolting halt, Sanosuke throwing the gear into park before turning to his passenger, who he half expected to be petrified speechless.

GPS electronic voice.

"You have reached your destination."

Pause.

"Uh… it says we've reached our destination." Sanosuke frowned at himself for sounding dumb. "You okay?"

Euphoric.

"That was totally awesome!"

A little startled at his passenger's reaction, the fighter let out a chuckle and extended his hand over to shake Austin's hand, the ecstatic fan seizing it with unrepressed excitement.

"Thank you sooo much for the ride, Sagara-san, it was better than a rollercoaster! And you got me here on time, which means I don't have to do a hundred push-ups! This is the best day of my life!"

"Hey now, don't think you're getting out of doing push-ups the next time I see you. I want all my fans to hold their own, you got me?" he said, grinning.

Salute.

"Yes, sir!"

"Come by the gym if you wanna work out, but call ahead though, I don't know what my schedule's like most of the time."

From the looks on Austin's face, the invitation just made him a fan for life. "I'll definitely do that, you can count on it! Thanks again!"

The young man unbuckled himself and got out of the car, toting his instrument case in one hand and waving goodbye to Sanosuke with the other. As the vehicle drove off, Austin found himself suddenly surrounded by curious bandmates and instructors.

* * *

The eighth floor of the hospital was a mess. Because of the accidents that day, every floor that had a spare bed added several more of the wounded, and they made a make-shift extension of the ICU on the eighth floor, moving all the regular patients to one side of the wing to accommodate the new ones on the other. The patients were stable for the most part, with three of the two awaiting blood transfusions. That is, as soon as they got more blood from donors.

Megumi couldn't believe that she was still moving around after dealing with patient after patient, she didn't think that blood would ever stop gushing from the injuries some of the patients sustained. Out of desperation and determination, she gave some of her own blood to prevent the lab from being totally depleted, which was why she thought it a miracle for her to be standing by the bedside of one of the youngest victims of the day.

He couldn't have been more than seven or eight years old. She glanced at the patient name posted by the bedside, noting that his parents had likely been in the room earlier, a child's toy resting atop the side table. An oversized bandage covered his temple, with blood seeped slightly through the surface of the cotton. Both left arm and lower leg were in a cast, and a bag of normal saline was hooked up to the pump that delivered the fluid and antibiotic to his IV line. Noting the child's rested breathing, she felt his wrist for a pulse and looked at her watch when a woman came into the room.

"Hello, Doctor," she hushed in greeting. "I'm Akihiko's mother… is he going to be okay?"

She smiled. "So far that I know…"

Fast pulse.

"He should be okay…" She pressed on the tips of the child's fingers and noted the prolonged blanching of the nail beds. "I'll be back in a few minutes, ma'am, I have to check on Akihiko's labs."

"There's nothing more wrong with him, is there?"

Assurance.

"I should have a more definitive answer for you when I come back, I won't take long."

Leaving as quietly as she could, she hurried down the hall as soon as she was out of sight and headed straight for a vacant computer terminal by the nurses' station. Striking keys with lightning accuracy, she searched for the child's name in the patient database, and having found it, she brought up the lab work done from a few hours ago. She took a deep breath as she scanned the numbers for the complete blood count, and let out a sigh of dejection when she looked at how low the child's hemoglobin was. She called out to nurse Mika as she came to the station to use the stapler.

"Mika-san, I was told that the patient in room twelve already had a blood transfusion. Do you happen to know at what time?"  
"Room twelve… that's the little boy, right? It should've been around two or three. Why do you ask?"

Sigh.

"It wasn't enough, he's still anemic… do you think you can get someone to draw his blood for me one more time? I'll write the request for it now."

"Sure thing, I'll do it myself."

Thanking the nurse, she logged out of the computer and filled out the doctors' orders form. After stamping her name over it, she flagged the order in the child's chart and stood from her seat. For a few seconds, the whole room began to darken before her eyes, and she immediately sat back down. Maybe giving blood today of all days wasn't such a good idea.

She should eat something.

* * *

Ring.

"Hello?"

Deadpan.

"Where are you, Sano?"

Expletive.

"Stuck in traffic. You?"

Obvious.

"At the gym waiting for you, dill weed! How long is it gonna take you to get back here?"

Snicker.

"Whoa Katsu, calmeth thyself down, are your tidy whities bunched up your poop shoot?"

Exasperation.

"I just don't want you to be late. You already know that it takes half an hour to get there, another half to pacify interviewers, and fifteen to wrap your knuckles and get warmed up."

Concern.

"Hey, you're never this worried before a fight, Katsu… what's going on?"  
Sigh.

"I just want you to be in your top form, no distractions. Distractions don't just hurt, they kill, Sano."

Nod.

"I'm well aware of that. Don't worry, I'm on my way."

After hearing his manager's curt thanks, Sanosuke hung up and stared at the car in front of him. His thoughts began to wander with his eyes. Why _was_ Katsu so worried? Tonight was just going to be one of those run-of-the-mill fights of the circuit, and his opponent didn't require bringing his A game on. He looked to his left and watched a few customers of a convenience store walk in and out. It just didn't make any sense.

Neither did that white coat clinging to the side wall of the convenience store.

_What?_

There wasn't much oncoming traffic. Watching the poor person use the wall as a crutch on the other side of the street was kind of pathetic. It was a woman, with her hair done in a bun. Whatever was holding her hair in place couldn't do so any longer, and soon long silky locks of hair cascaded past her shoulders and covered her face as she leaned forward as if to catch her breath. Squinting, he mentally yelled for the hair to get out of her face, he didn't like how her likeness to Megumi was making him react.

She cursed under her breath. Damn the cafeteria, they had to close when she needed food the most. And now she was out of the hospital with barely enough energy to get back, all for a stupid sandwich that she may not even get to eat because she might eat the sidewalk first. After waiting several seconds, she straightened up and concentrated on making it to the closest bench just outside the hospital grounds. She knew she was having a bad day, and it was sad that she was uttering a prayer that was more like bartering with God than all-out begging.

_If You can just send me a sign that I'm going to make it to that bench, let alone through the rest of my workday…_

Fifty feet.

_…I will make sure to do more random acts of kindness outside the hospital…_

Dim.

_…Just something, anything…_

Thirty feet.

Sway.

Screech.

_…I promise…_

Fall.

_…Daddy…_

"Hey!"

Catch.

Blackout.

If he had been a second later, the poor white coat would've kissed the concrete. The back of one hand received a good scraping from sliding underneath her head, just in time to allow him a full glimpse of what had him holding his breath the whole time he lifted her off the ground and cradled against his chest. A few passersby watched in puzzled curiosity as the tall fighter ran towards the direction of the hospital, leaving an idling SUV stranded by the curb.

Busting through the double doors of the ER receiving bay, Sanosuke's loud voice drew attention to the unconscious cargo in his arms. "Help, I need help here!"

One of the nurses immediately recognized their own. "Oh my God, Dr. Shirakawa!" She ran towards Sanosuke, with the ER attending doctor one step behind.

"Can you tell us what happened?" the doctor said, quickly assessing her pulse and pupillary reflex.

The fighter drew a breath over his pounding heart. "I was driving when I saw her bracing herself along the wall of the C-store, I got to her right before she hit the ground."

"I need a gurney here!" yelled the doctor as he placed his stethoscope over his colleague's chest. "Nurse, please get Shirakawa-san fast-tracked through, I want D5 NS hanging at a hundred, and draw her blood for a CBC and a metabolic panel… Young man, thank you for bringing her to us… after what's happened today, we're all under an enormous amount of stress…"

"Sure thing," Sanosuke mumbled, his brow creased with worry at the still porcelain features of her face. He watched as the older doctor placed electrodes over her chest, cracking his mouth open to voice objection when the man's arthritic fingers pushed against the skin a couple of inches below her clavicles, holding himself back in relief when the nurse took over to place the rest of them over the left side of her chest. The nurse sighed as she snapped the lines onto the electrodes and turned on the monitor. The older doctor then stepped away to answer a page from the intercom.

"She shouldn't have given blood," she commented quietly, watching the numbers light up and the pulse rate blink on the screen. The fighter was taken aback.

"Is that what happened?" he asked, inching closer to the gurney.

The nurse looked around her, as if to impart a secret. "There were two big accidents earlier, and a lot of people lost blood… our reserves are practically out, and a lot of the staff donated their own to keep us from running out…"

His eyes strayed to gaze upon Megumi, a sense of wonder overcoming him at the determination she had to help others, at the cost of her own health. He imagined she didn't get enough sleep, she had dark circles under her eyes, and it was apparent that she could barely function with a pint less of blood. Just how hard did this woman work? She worked at Tae's restaurant, she moonlighted at Yamashita's ballroom, and she apparently worked herself to death at this hospital. With some hesitation, he held the hand that rested limply against her side, hoping that the nurse who turned to another patient next to Megumi's bed wouldn't see. He didn't really notice how pale she was, and being this close for inspection, he noted how sallow the palm of her hand was. He nearly jumped out of his skin when her eyes cracked open.

"Sa… gara-san," she called out, her voice feeble and barely audible, eyes roaming to recognize her surroundings.

"Hey there," he replied as he lightly squeezed her hand.

Confusion.

"…Why are you here?"

Smile.

"I heard you guys needed blood, so I came to give some."

Blink.

"Your hand… is very warm… and bloody…"

Notice.

"Oh… that's nothing, don't worry about it."

Silence.

Defensive.

"I would hate for you to think that I am a frail person, I'm really not."

Grin.

"I know."

Sigh.

"Let me get up, I have a lot of work to do—"

Restrained.

"No no no, you need to rest and take a break from all that. You have to get better before you can do any running around."

Blink.

_When did __**he**__ become a doctor?_

"Wait… no one else knows about the blood shortage except for staff… how did you know?"  
Sanosuke leaned into her ear. "A little birdie told me," he whispered, his lips grazing the shell of her ear. She rolled her eyes.

"Sagara-san, I'm beginning to think that you have no other occupation than to follow other people around."

"Hey, that's not true! I just happened to be driving on the other side of the road when I saw you pass out—"

"So it _was_ you who brought me in… I thought that voice sounded familiar…"

Awkward silence.

"Thank you, Sagara-san," she said quietly, the pad of her thumb running gently over his thick knuckles, sending a wave of warmth from his hand to his face in an instant. She had prayed for a sign from God earlier. She supposed this was it in the flesh. "I am indebted to you again."

"No worries, I'm glad you're gonna be okay… except…"

"Except?"

Pause.

"You weigh like a feather. You need to eat more."

She opened her mouth to protest, only a sigh came out. Even if it sounded like he was boasting muscular strength, there would be no point in arguing with her rescuer. It would be rude. And when she thought about it, she did have the smallest of appetites as of late. "I _was_ going to eat a sandwich."

"You mean this?" Sanosuke produced a plastic bag from behind him with her wrapped sandwich still in it.

Megumi was feeling really bad now. "You even saved that?" His warm grin was growing on her.

"Hey, I was taught not to waste food. So here, I hope you get a chance to eat it."

Her eyes strayed to the bag of saline hanging by the stretcher. "I have a feeling that I will, Sagara-san," she said, finding herself returning the same smile.

A moment of silence passed between them, and Sanosuke couldn't help but watch her watch him. That beautiful face that captivated men to their feet also showed a sorrow that she hid so well, and had he not been at the pool hall, he would've remained clueless like the rest of them. Her eyes betrayed demure embarrassment that only he could understand, and though he was glad to share and shoulder her sadness last night, he wanted to know what it was she was so defensively secretive about. He wanted to ask so badly, but he knew better at this point. He felt oddly pleased that there was something both of them shared other than the Genzai household, and he mildly ignored the fact that her presence was addicting like a runner's high. His eyes fell to where her hand connected with his, the contact remaining unbroken, and he felt like a happy nervous schoolboy that she had not pulled away. Or maybe she was just too weak…

"Sagara-san…"

Preoccupied.

"Hm?"

Thoughtful.

"…I vaguely recall you telling me you had a fighting match tonight. Is it still—"

Paled.

"Crap, I totally forgot!"

Eight ten.

"I'm sorry, Megu—Kasumi-san, I have to go."

He wished she hadn't smiled, he was rooted in place again.

"Good luck tonight then, Sagara-san, I hope it ends in victory."

Stutter.

"I… Yeah… I mean, yes, thank you! Will you be okay? I mean, uh, can I come by afterwards and give you a ride home? After last night, I'd be less worried if you had someone take—"

Laughter.

"I just got a little lightheaded, I'm going to be fine. Now go, don't let your fans down."

She watched him hesitate with a grin, wondering why he wasn't moving. Her brows rose in expectation, his low voice petering out as a murmur. "So… is that a yes?"

He found himself staring at her suspicious brown eyes that squinted with a scheming pout. "Maybe if… you come back without a single bruise or scratch—"

"Done!" he exclaimed, giving her hand a squeeze before stepping away from the gurney. "I'll try to finish as soon as I can!" He flashed the bed-ridden doctor a winning smile before disappearing from the ER, leaving her to wonder why she had said what she said, and why she was oddly flattered by the fighter's attention when she had a lot to worry about on so many different levels.

* * *

Impeccably dressed in a black designer suit, the heels of Katsu's expensive dress shoes struck the marble floor of the arena foyer, drowned out by the noisy din of the spectators seated inside, pacing the expanse of the foyer in frustration. After leaving what seemed like the thirtieth voice messages on his best friend's cell phone, he replaced his phone back in his pocket and decided that when Sanosuke shows up for this fight, _if_ he showed up, he would take his self-restraint, throw it away, take the security guard's baton and beat the crap out of his best friend. Only then, he thought, would he even consider letting him roam around again like cows to a field before a fight. That is, if he didn't make ground beef of him before then. He looked down at his watch.

Eight-thirty.

Sigh.

He changed his mind. He would strangle him first, and then beat the crap out of him. Katsu was about to call the slacker again when he suddenly appeared through the glass double doors, looking left and right and lost like he always was. The manager thought that he'd waited this long, might as well wait a few more seconds for him to notice that he'd been standing there all that time with an aura of murderous intent.

"Katsu! I'm sure glad to see you!"

Oblivious.

"You'll never guess what happened to me!"

Shock.

"What the hell? Do you know what time it is?!"

Placate.

"I'm really sorry for being late, but I have a really good reason—"

"Dude, whatever, just follow me to the locker room. I'm too pissed at you right now for giving me new grey hairs."

"But I'm serious, Katsu!"

He sounded too excited to be contrite, and despite the relief he felt when he came through those doors, he was annoyed that Sanosuke didn't keep his promise. Running to the locker room, they were met by the rest of the training crew, sharing their manager's relief as they got to their feet and started helping the fighter get undressed and wrapped for the fight. Ryou's eyes widened at the rough gash across Sanosuke's knuckles, crusted over with dried blood.

"You look like you had a fight with concrete, Sano," he said after a whistle, rummaging in the first aid kit for cotton bandages and antiseptic. A vein on Katsu's head was about to burst.

"Sano, what the hell happened with you!?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you!" the fighter replied with equal volume, the trainers cringing and rubbing their ears as they readied the wrappings. "I just happened to be stuck in traffic in front of the hospital where Kasumi-san works, and she came out of a C-store barely walking straight, and had I not been there, she would've kissed asphalt!"

Deep breath.

Exhale.

"And just where, pray tell, Sano, is your car right now?"

Stolen thunder.

"Um… still in front of the C-store where I left it…?"

"Then how'd you get here?!"

"I hailed a cab."

Sigh.

Katsu turned around to look at himself in the full length mirror by the lockers, his face crumpling as he looked at his hair. "Oh, that's just great, Sano. Thanks to you, I have another fucking grey hair… wait, wait… no, I have ten more! Come on, Sano, all this hijinx activity is cramping my style!"

Chuckle.

"You could always color it."

The manager squinted at his fighter, doing his best to swallow his irritation. "Is she doing okay at least?"

Nod.

"She's hooked up to a bag of something. The nurse said she shouldn't have given blood. I think that same dude who ran over that kid we saved caused two bus accidents, and the hospital was running low."

Katsu paused to take in what his best friend was saying while the rest of the crew took out the pads for him to do practice kicks and punches. Sanosuke wasn't this happy before any fight, and he certainly was acting cavalier about the whole thing. The man he was going to fight in the cage that night was highly ranked in the European circuit, and a slight deviation from concentration could send Sanosuke off the ring in a body bag. Katsu continued to watch his best friend in frustrated silence, brow arching at the uncharacteristic way of the fighter pausing more often than he normally did during combos of flurried kicks and punches. He felt his phone vibrate and he reached for it as he turned around to open the door of the locker room. With barely a hello and a curt thank-you, he hung up and listened to the roaring crowd outside. After several seconds, he went back inside and closed the door behind him.

"Well," he started with a sigh, "at least I know where the Rover is, and that's one less white hair. Get ready, men, the MC is about to take the mic to the cage."

Sanosuke only grinned at him.

"Sano, as much as I'm pissed off at you right now, I can't emphasize the importance of concentration enough."

The fighter nodded. "Ten four, captain."

Ryou and the others took some towels and water bottles with them as Katsu helped the fighter into what Sanosuke called the 'shiny cage bathrobe'. With one last look at his now gloved fists, the manager led his team out of the locker room, down the hallway and into the sea of people and deafening cheers.

* * *

"What are you doing out of bed?!"

Shrug.

"I have work to do. Was there enough blood for the order I wrote earlier?"

Motherly.

"Don't try to change the subject, missy, you're getting the bed at the end of the hall and you're gonna stay in it even if I have to tie you down! And yes, miraculously we had a pint of blood typed and screened in time for the transfusion."

Grinning relief.

"Thank you so much, Mika-san."

"Come on, I'll walk you to the room. The ER doc is going to wonder where you've gone."

"Just bribe him with a donut, he won't be mad."

Laughter.

"Can I just stay in my office at least? I just have to finish my patient notes."

"That defeats the purpose of resting!"

"But at least I'll be stationary at one place, and I'll get some work done with minimal effort. Two birds with one stone."

Hesitation.

"All right… but I get to watch you like a hawk any time I want, and you have to sing five songs at my birthday party or else I'll never forgive you."

"…Okay, but don't complain when your ears ache… thank you, Mika-san."

Office.

"Anytime, Doc. Just don't scare us like that, you're the only doctor we like around here besides sweet old Kubo. If you're out, it means that snake Ito would have to cover for you and there just might be a homicide if that happens."

Seat.

"I'll be on my best resting behavior, Mika-san."

"Good. I'll see you in a little bit. No shenanigans!"

Tall stack of patient folders.

"I'm afraid there's no time for that…"

* * *

As the MC announced the opponent's height and weight with vociferous theatrics, Katsu's team made their final sweep of the fighter's gloves and readied the mouth guard, Sanosuke jumping lightly in place as his manager gave him a few words of advice.

"Sano, this guy isn't as easy as you remember him to be. He likes putting his opponents into a submission hold, and right before that, he'll try to weaken you with several punches, usually a punch from one arm and two consecutive ones from the other."

"Okay."

"And I'm not comfortable with the way he beat his last opponent last time, so try to win as soon as you can."

Grin.

"You're a lot easier to please."

"What do you mean?"

Jump.

"Kasumi-san said that I can drive her home if I come back from this fight without a single scratch or bruise."

"What?!"

"And that's exactly what I intend to do."

Mouth guard.

Wink.

Before Katsu could utter another word, it was Sanosuke's turn to be in the limelight, the fighter's brawn and muscle hidden beneath the sheen of the robe.

"And in this corner, of the Sekihou Team, weighing one hundred and eighty pounds, two-time winner of the Asia Mixed Martial Arts Championship, the pride of Japan… Zanzaaa!"

The cheer of the crowd rose to a thunderous roar when the fighter stepped into the cage and acknowledged them with a gloved greeting, his face growing a smirk over his mouth guard and the crinkled corners of his eyes shining with sincere delight, captured in high-definition as he waved to the hundreds watching in the arena and through the airwaves.

* * *

"Man, if we don't get any more donors, we're gonna run out of blood soon."

Centrifuges.

"When was the last donation made?"

Clock.

"About an hour, hour and a half ago… an ER nurse brought the guy down here, and took the blood right then and there."

Small grin.

"Good to know there are still nice people around."

Stopwatch.

"We've got a while before we can get these tubes done… turn on the telly."

Flat screen TV.

"I don't want to watch the news, I just get depressed watching it."

Remote.

"How about this then?"

Cage fighting.

"I didn't know you were into this sport… if you can call it a sport."

"It's like boxing, wrestling, and martial arts all in one, and those are Olympic sports!"

Sigh.

"Yeah, but none of those are in danger of getting beaten to death… we've reverted back to gladiatorial times."

Pause.

"Hey… you said we had a donor come by earlier, right?"

"Right. Why?"

Concentration.

"…I didn't really get that good of a look… but that guy looked a _lot_ like him…"

* * *

Five minutes, thirty-eight seconds.

Katsu couldn't believe it, not even after looking at the timer for the twelfth time. Sanosuke had only lost a couple of times when he was still a rookie, and his wins were always nerve-racking. But never had any of his fights finished this quickly, and had he known he was going to walk away from the cage that fast, he would've stayed by the cage instead of going to the box seats where he always sat. It took the same amount of time to get to them, and now it would take a lot more time and force to get through the screaming and bellowing crowd that wanted to carry his best friend on their backs.

Five minutes, thirty-eight seconds.

By the time the manager approached his team and the fighter, Sanosuke was waving to the crowd, chest heaving in exertion as Ryou and the other trainers pushed their way through the crowd back to the locker room, the fighter's gloved fist leaning against Ryou's back as they retreated.

Upon entering the locker room, Sanosuke sat on the bench closest to the door, drawing deep breaths as sweat beaded down his slick torso. "Wow, that was a good fight," he said breathlessly, leaning his head against the metal locker door.

Katsu looked behind him at the crew, busy putting away their equipment. He took a towel and threw it at Sanosuke's face.

"What is going on, Sano?"

Sweaty confusion.

"Huh?"

Low voice.

"You know what I'm talking about! What the hell is going on with you? You're never this fast with a fight, and you're never this tired!"

Deep breath.

Grin.

"I guess I was just excited."

Katsu watched him with knit brows, only to slacken with realization.

"Sano… are you all there?"

Breathless laughter.

"Yeah! Why wouldn't I be?"

"I mean, I can only think of one reason why you'd be tired before and this drained after a fight."

The fighter drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly, smiling at the sharpness of his manager.

"… Then… you're most likely thinking right, Katsu."

He was too surprised to utter a word at Sanosuke, perhaps too angry to allow the thought of saying anything. No fighter in his right mind would jeopardize his life when there was already a risk of losing it in the cage.

Had he fallen that hard?

"Is she worth the risk of losing, Sano?"

All eyes and attention were on the fighter as he wiped the sweat off his face, Sanosuke slowly catching his breath. "I knew I was going to win, Katsu… I was just doing like you said."

Katsu's eyes bore through his best friend's, not satisfied with his answer.

Sanosuke didn't break eye contact as he stood. "And… I was serious when I said that I wasn't playing any games. Not anymore." The grin he flashed his manager tamped down the tension that everyone in the locker room felt, and with the turn of his heel he headed to the showers.

Groaning out loud, Katsu sank down on one of the benches and rubbed at his temples. He debated whether or not to tell Sanosuke that the Range Rover was driven to the arena by a kind policeman, who also happened to be a fan. He would have to think about rescheduling the next few fights, depending on how stable Sanosuke looked, and good God, never mind the media and the headlines that would be sure to tangle all the landlines and their cell phones up starting now until who knew when. There was something else that was twisting inside of him other than his brain. Being his best friend and practically a brother, Katsu always knew what Sanosuke was thinking, what he was doing and what he would do next. That night, for the first time, Katsu felt a little out of the loop. He had no idea of what happened the night before, and not a word from Sanosuke gave him a hint of any sort. And because the one involved was his girlfriend's best friend, it added another concern to his list of worries.

"Hey, Katsu," Ryou approached in a consoling tone. "Try not to worry so much. At least he won, he's alive and in one piece, and he'll just have to pay for it by doing all the interviews and photo shoots he refused before."

That brought a small grin to the manager's face. "I love the way your enterprising mind works sometimes, Ryou." Katsu received a pat on the shoulder from another trainer.

"Yeah, Katsu, don't worry about Sanosuke. Not even a lightning bolt could bring that guy down."

Katsu chose to keep the grin on and keep positive. They were right. The fight was finished, and another day has passed. He needed to keep cool, to regroup, and most importantly, he needed a drink. Looking at his watch, he sighed and decided to take the men out for a night cap at Tae's restaurant. Sanosuke could do whatever he wanted to do. In the past, he always knew the outcome of a relationship he wanted to start before it even started. Recalling what happened at the pool hall with Kasumi, he wasn't so sure anymore. God help his best friend if he chose to pursue a woman who was by all walks of life and sense his complete opposite. Taking a piece of paper from one of the trainers' clipboard, he scribbled a note which he left on a bench and motioned for the rest of the crew to follow him out of the locker room, quietly. Now that the fight was over, this was Sanosuke's private time, and what he chose to do with it was his business.

* * *

Down to the last folder. She smiled in relief as she opened it to the latest progress note and started scribbling her findings and lab values, noting the time on her desk clock. She was happy with the progress she made, and just in time for her hawkish nurse to take down the IV bag that was only a few drips away from finishing. A few more dotting Is and crossing Ts, she'd be out the door so fast not even nurse Mika would see her. She grinned. She was good at playing ninja.

"You must really love your job."

She looked up from her notes and was startled to see Sanosuke towering behind a swooning nurse Mika, trying hard to suppress a giggle that could bubble through her throat at any second. His jacket couldn't hide the broad shoulders underneath, and his head barely cleared the top of the doorway.

"Hello," she said neutrally.

"Dr. Shirakawa, this gentleman is here to see you," she said, happily winking at her. Lucky for her, the fighter couldn't see her face. Eyeing the empty IV bag, she walked over to her desk and took it down, leaning over her ear and whispering, "That's the guy who gave you your packed red cells for room twelve! Isn't he sweet?"

She fought to keep her brows from rising.

After taking the heplock from the puncture site on her arm, she wiped it with an alcohol pad and put a bandage on it. "I'm gonna go now," Mika said. Gathering the bag, she turned and walked out the door.

Staring at the door that was left ajar, she wondered why it was difficult to think all of a sudden. Maybe because of what happened last night. Maybe because she knew that she would be bombarded with so many questions from the nurses. Maybe because she had to do something about the letter that she tried her best to keep off her mind until she got home. Or maybe because she was shocked at the fact that he donated blood right before a fight.

So why was he here again?

"Why _are_ you here, Sagara-san?"

Hurt feigned.

"I thought you agreed that I could take you home if I came back from my fight without a bruise or scratch…"

Pause.

"You… went to a fight with a pint less of blood… do you know how much you put yourself at a disadvantage?"

Reprimanded.

"Yes, I do."

She took her eyes from the weight of his stare and continued the last of her notes. _Such a reckless risk…_ For a second she wondered how long he'd stand there waiting for her to say something, taking her time to stamp her name neatly on the papers.

"Does Tsukioka-san know about it?"  
Sheepish.

"Uh, yeah, he was the first one to figure it out, actually…"

Folder closed.

"And his reaction?"

Sigh.

"I will probably get a good beating from him and the rest of the guys, which is okay… but Katsu won't be that easy on me…"

She fingered the edges of the bandage's adhesive. "Why did you do it, Sagara-san?" she asked, looking up to meet his eyes.

"I… I just wanted to finish early so… so I can take you home."

"I was talking about the blood."

"Oh."

Fidget.

"I don't know… I figured if you had to give blood, you guys must be really low, might as well give some, too."

She looked at the clock. "But I don't have to fight like you."

Pause.

"Maybe I'm wrong, but… I think you do. Every day."

Stunned.

_Well, maybe not _physically_…_

"I can't say that I really regret it, but… I am sorry for doing it on a whim. But I won the fight, so please don't be too angry at me…"

The doctor was speechless. Was it that transparent that she had more on her plate than she could chew? She was underestimating him again, his knack for perception, and it was precisely this gift that he had that made her wary of the distance between them. It was getting too close.

Sigh.

"I'm not angry, Sagara-san."

White coat shed.

"Such a thing is just bad for your health, even Tsukioka-san knew it. You might make people worry about you."

"Does that mean you'd worry about me, too?"

He caught her again, and it made her insides twist. "It's called preventative medicine, better to not do anything that will prompt a visit to the hospital." She took off her ID from her neck and placed it in her purse, wondering how he can be so honest and upfront with his thoughts, and with a smile to boot. It was a little oppressive. And why the hell did she care, he could do whatever he wanted. If he wanted to drive her home, fine. A deal's a deal, even if she was only half-hearted about it. She watched his eyes shift to her purse.

"…Can I still take you home?"

He was weird, why was that so important?

"Sagara-san…"

"Yes?"

Squint.

"Why are you so odd?" She really meant, _why are you being so persistent_, with so much risked for the trouble of taking her home. He awkwardly raised a hand to the back of his head and looked down in embarrassment, the doctor inwardly smiling at the tall man before him look so boyish. "You know what, don't answer that. Would you like to go now?"

* * *

If she hadn't been in the vehicle with him, he would've been banging his head on the steering wheel for the way he acted at the hospital. He liked to think that he was pretty smooth with the ladies before, but after the visit to her office, it was apparent to Sanosuke that this woman took all volition and ability of speech from him. Gripping the wheel a little harder than he should, he felt his stomach churn at the thought of being so jellyboned in front of her.

Right on green.

What should he say to her now? As brashly outspoken as he could be, he couldn't find a something to talk about, not after he had been chastised like a bad dog.

Five more blocks.

Red light.

"Are you hungry?"

He turned his head to find her eyeing a ramen stand on the street corner.

"I'm always hungry."

Expectant.

"Would you like to eat there?"

Sanosuke wasn't prepared for the pleading look on her face that could easily get away with murder.

"May we?"

Grinning, he looked before changing lanes. Why didn't he think of that sooner? Perhaps it wasn't classy enough for her. "We sure may."

Parallel parking.

The owner of the ramen stand was casually seated with a cigarette in his mouth, scratching the stubble across his chin while reading a newspaper under the lone light bulb that illuminated the tiny space. The only customer had just left as they approached, and she was pleased more than relieved that no one else would be around, or so she hoped. She had no idea her companion was silently thanking God for the same thing.

"What can I get for you?" the owner's raspy voice asked, still reading the paper.

The fighter looked at her and shrugged. "Can I have the biggest bowl of your deluxe ramen?"

"Uh-huh."

"And may I have a small bowl of the same, please?"

Hearing the feminine voice, the stand owner looked up at his customers and finally put the newspaper aside. "Ah, manners in a young lady, I like that," he commented, winking. "Fat man and little boy deluxe ramens, coming right up."

The two companions smiled at each other as they watched the old man toss noodles in a boiling pot. After taking their drink orders and handing it to them, the old man busied himself with the toppings for the soup. Not wanting to ruin the smile on her face that had been growing since they got there, Sanosuke took a swig of his soda and looked around. The streets still had a good number of passersby; all oblivious to the quiet happiness he had within. His eyes strayed from the intersection to his wrist where he felt cool fingers brush against his skin. He nearly jumped out of it.

"I'm sorry for startling you, I need to feel your pulse for a moment."

He wasn't aware he had been holding his breath until he spoke. "Oh, nah, don't worry about it… but I think I'm still alive, if that's what you're wondering."

Quick pulse.

"That is, unless you think I ought to be otherwise."

She smirked at the comment. "Losing a pint of blood shouldn't affect a person with your body frame and mass. But because you have been, oh, I don't know, throwing punches and tossing people around, your hungry little cells increased the demand for oxygen your blood cells carry. Your heart tries to beat faster to move what blood you've got left to get more from your lungs… Did you not feel tired during the fight?"

Sanosuke snuck a look at the ramen stand owner, still minding his own business. He brought a finger to his lips signal discretion. She caught on and nodded with a smile. And what a beautiful, spine-melting smile it was. "Yeah, I did… but it could be beating faster for a completely different reason."

Whistle.

"Lord knows my heart'd be poundin' faster than a race car driver's through the finish line if someone pretty like you held my hand," interjected the stand owner, now handing the bowls to his customers.

The fighter grinned as he took his chopsticks in his other hand, waiting but not wanting her fingers to let go. Eating can be so overrated, anyway. "I think you hit it right on the nail, good sir."

She laughed as she withdrew her hand, not catching the sigh that escaped Sanosuke's throat. "Then you must have a heart the size of a horse's with all the pretty ladies who crowd around you."

His brows rose and he turned his head to look around him. "It looks like there's only one here."

She broke her chopsticks apart. "After seeing the harem your colleagues had at Tae's restaurant, I'm sure you have your fair share of the ladies." It was funny, the way he arched a brow at her.

"Hey now, I don't play around with women like that. It's hard enough to handle one, what more with two… or five—"

She laughed and couldn't stop laughing.

"What's so funny?"  
When she had the last of her giggles, she sighed and said, "I never expected someone your age to be the conservative type." She dug into her noodles and savored the taste as her companion dismissed her findings. "Ojii-san, this is really good…"

"Young? Pssh, I'm not _that_ young. And what are you saying, that guys like me just try to get as many girls as they can?"  
"Boy, if I had your looks and physique, I'd be making all the ladies swoon with just a crack of a grin," pitched the owner, now back to his newspaper and cigarette.

She fought the urge to laugh again. "Please eat, Sagara-san, your ramen will get cold."

He sighed before his giant bowl of ramen. Well, at least she was talking and smiling, never mind if it's at his expense. After only a few mouthfuls, he was halfway done with his food.

"At least your appetite is good," she said, holding her teacup with both hands and sipping slowly.

"Well, you oughtta know that we 'conservative' guys naturally have big appetites."

She was giggling again, and it was good to know that he could roll with the punches and play nicely with female company. It shouldn't surprise her, with the show of gentleness from him last night, that men of chivalry still existed in this modern age, because he was living proof of that. _So far._ So unlike those who only knew how to twist and manipulate the way she lived her life. Something stilled inside her at the thought of what awaited her back at her apartment, and the thoughts that pillowed her mind with worry and despair. So many times she heard from her mother not too worry so much, to deal only with things she could do something about in the present time. If she could go to where her parents were, she might be able to do something about her mother's condition. The problem was, she had no idea where to find them. She hated feeling helpless for not being able to do more, that all she could do was work to the bone and pay for the chance to contact them. _Exactly what he wants me to do. _She would have to live her life under the whims of a sadist who took pleasure in people's suffering. She would never really know happiness again until she could see the people she loved.

But when was the last time she laughed like this?

"Sagara-san…"

"Hm?" His mouth was full of ramen, she wondered how he could fit so much in there, like a hungry hamster stuffing seeds into its cheeks.

Relieving distraction.

"Thank you for donating blood… it really meant a lot to my patient… but please, never again before a fight."

He gulped the food down and gave her a thumbs-up. "This conservative will listen to anything you say, doc."

Chuckle.

Pause.

"And thank you… for last night."

By the time she mustered some courage to look at the fighter, his attention was completely on her, torso turned towards her, ears waiting to listen. And a completely empty bowl in front of him. Her eyes blinked at the sight, mouth opening to say something but held back, deciding quiet prudence was better. Besides, it was hard to say anything when she could barely look at him in embarrassment.

"You know, Kasumi-san, I really do listen well."

She averted her eyes and slowly nodded.

"…And I'm not that young."

Another nod.

"If anything, I'm probably your age, maybe even slightly older… so if you could call me Sanosuke instead, that would be great." He watched her brow furrow at his words.

"Do you know how old I am?'

He shrugged. "Twenty-four, maybe twenty-five?"

She let out a sigh.

"So how old do you think I am?"

She paused to study his face, her eyes tracing the lines around his eyes and mouth. It was a good thing for the fighter to be young and able to take transient increases in heart rate.

Bated breath.

"Right now, I'd say… about five."

"What?"  
She took a napkin from the table and wiped a piece of green onion and ramen juice stuck in the corner of his mouth.

"Oh… sorry… I must look very uncool right now."

He took the napkin from her and mopped up the rest of his mouth. _How embarrassing,_ he thought, having a monologue with God's green earth on his face. She finished the rest of her food quietly as he stewed in awkward silence. Resting her chopsticks over the edges of the bowl, she complimented the owner once more and reached for her purse.

"Nope, don't even think about it," Sanosuke said, quickly reaching into his back pocket for his wallet and swatting her hand away from her purse. "No self-respecting gentleman would let a lady pay for dinner."

She shot him an impish glance. "That only applies to dates, Sagara-san."

_This isn't one?_

"Even if it isn't an official date, it's a celebration dinner, so I pay. And that's Sanosuke to you. Sa-no-su-ke."

He was answered with a grumbling smile and he countered with several bills on the table. "Jii-chan, take my money and make me look good here, will ya?"

The old man took the money. "You don't gotta tell me twice." He counted the bills. "Need change?"

"Keep it."

"Thanks, kid."

She smiled. "See? Even the owner thinks you're young." She knew he was staring at her with a scowl on his face. She started to walk away.

"Kasumi-san, where are you going? The car's right over there." She took a few more steps before stopping, her back still facing him and unmoving. He quickly caught up and found her gaze fixed at a window of a clothing store, oddly showcasing a kimono with tiny little sakura blossoms on its sleeves.

"Wanna try it on?"

She blinked and looked his way, almost fishing for words to reply. "…No… I was just wondering how a modern store like that could have something so historical. That's all." She met his eyes studying hers, almost as if he knew she was thinking of her past. In this regard, Sanosuke was truly someone a little frightening to her; he was too good at finding things beneath the surface.

Like a bloodhound.

"Do you feel a little better now, Kasumi-san?"  
Smile.

"I should be asking you that."

Stomach pat.

"That ramen hit the spot, I'm back to a hundred percent."

Nod.

"Thank you for dinner, Sagara-san."

Sigh.

"I'd get you a hundred dinners, and just about anything, if you'd just call me Sano."

How does one reply to that?  
"I don't know why it's hard for me…"

He glanced back to the hanging kimono in the store window. "I guess different people have different comfort zones… and I'm not in it."

Silence.

"…Maybe it's because… it didn't seem like it took any time to be comfortable around you that I am on guard."

The fighter opened his mouth to say something, his words stolen from his throat with the look she gave him.

Sincerity.

Solemn.

"Hurting you isn't anywhere near my mind."

Assent.

"I know… And that is precisely why I am on guard."

It pained Sanosuke to learn the depth of her distrust, but there was something soft, something yielding in her eyes that told him it took much effort for her to bare her side of honesty. It wasn't distrust.

"It's not that I don't trust you… Sanosuke-san… it's quite the contrary… I go through a lot, much more than I can take on a daily basis… and… I never expected any help from anyone. Then you appeared from out of nowhere last night and… it was like being given an addicting drug for the first time."  
Inhale.

"I didn't know it was a crime to help…"

"What you offered me is a luxury I can't allow myself to have."

Hurt.

"Why not?"

Hesitation.

"You being with me is… risky. I am afraid of the consequences."

Sanosuke ran fingers through his hair in frustration. "You make it seem like you can't even be friends with me… Like you don't want anyone to get any closer."

Silence.

Scouting glance.

"Megumi-san."

Wide eyes.

"I don't think we're all that different, you and me."

Avert.

"I'm not gonna lie, I like you. A _lot_. But you're more beautiful than just your looks… beyond that door of yours you've got closed to everyone is someone who is smart, and wonderful, to the point where I'm speechless…"

_Don't say such nice things…_

"I don't know your reasons, but, I've already made up my mind about you, and I'm afraid there's no going back."

Her eyes swung back to him in surprise.

"I am going to be that one person who will shoulder what you can't take. Whatever risk you think there is, it won't matter to me. You've already accepted my help before, and you're gonna get it again and again even if you don't want it, because I've already made up my mind. You can't go through it all alone."

_But I __have to__ go through it all alone._

Maybe she was right to think that he was only five years of age, his logic was too simple and naïve. But it was only because she couldn't tell him anything more, and she was too afraid of what could happen. He was a famous person, known and accepted in many social circles, even those she didn't expect him to be in. He had no idea of what was at stake, and she didn't want to imagine what could happen to him. It was enough that only her life is involved. Sanosuke's world involved so many other people who depended on his success to live. And she was not going to be the one failure that would bring him down.

"Give me a month."

She blinked in confusion. "What?"

"If you don't think I'm somebody you can depend on, if I'm not someone worth knowing more than just friends after a month, then I'll move town and change my name."

Incredulous grin.

"I somehow think people will still know who you are."

"But if you are even a little convinced that I _am_, then I get to take you out on a date. A real one."

Absurd.

"I don't date men who are younger than me, Sanosuke-san."

Oh, the way she said his name did very warm things to his joints…

Sigh.

"One month is all I'm asking. After that, if you don't like me, I will never bother you again." _Maybe just stalk and beg you to change your mind…_

"Since when was my opinion on the dealing table?"

"Since I first laid eyes on you."

She was beginning to dislike the way he could take away quick rebuttals from her. He was too honest with his feelings! She looked down her watch and sighed, letting herself voice thoughts out loud. "There are so many other women out there… why'd you have to pick on me?" The wind picked up and blew her hair in tangles, her hands moving to rub lightly at her arms. She should be flattered, maybe even happy, that a man like him would think so highly of her. And this was a little ridiculous, they were arguing like a couple even though they were far from being one. She looked back at the kimono in the window. He'd already saved her from hitting the pavement earlier, brought her back to the hospital, donated blood right before a fight, and now he was standing before her wanting the chance to impress her. It was a little overkill. She was already impressed, though she knew better than to let him know.

"You're the one who stole something from me," he said, startling her when he wrapped his jacket over her shoulders. "I can't help but chase."

_How'd he move so quickly? _His proximity made her cheeks flush with heat, her hand clutched nervously at the fabric of his jacket as she looked down. "And what exactly did I steal from you?" She looked up at him to see a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth.

"This." He gently took her hand and put it over his chest, her eyes wide with surprise. "Please, Megumi-san. One month."

Silence.

Hesitation.

"Don't I get any say in this?"

"If it's a refusal, then no."

She let herself smile. "I mean, you're saying a lot of things, and one month is an awfully long time… I'd like to add some conditions, seeing as I almost have no say in this."

Eager nod.

"Add away."

Thoughtful pause.

"If you get hurt during one of your fights, I get to subtract five days from the month."

Unwillingness.

"Four."

Knitting brows.

"Three."

"Two."

"Deal. I value discretion, and seeing as you are a popular person and I am private one, I would like any encounter we have to be as private and exclusive as possible. If you break this, it's seven days."

Whine.

"What? That's a long time!"

She gently pulled her hand away from his chest to clutch at the jacket on her shoulders. "Seven days, no exceptions."

Sigh.

"Okay…"

"I reserve the right to refuse any encounter that will require me to be under the public eye, or photographed. If this happens, your one month trial will be over and _I_ will move town and change my name." _Again…_

Serious.

"I feel bad for the guy I'm gonna beat up if that ever happens."

Snub.

"And, if I do happen to find you dependable and someone worth knowing, instead of a date, I offer you another month with all the conditions I have said, with any idea of a 'date' to be discussed at a later time."

The fighter lit up. "I can really have another month?"

Nod.

"Then I accept," he grinned, offering his hand for her to shake. She warily eyed it before glancing back at him, reluctant to enter into a treaty that they both might regret. When she finally took it, he pulled her against him and lifted her off the ground, spinning around in laughter.

"Thank you so much, Megumi-san! You won't regret it!"

He put her down before she could order him to, and without letting go of her hand he led her back to the car. She could practically see his face gleaming with delight as she trailed behind him, wondering if he could forgive her for seeing him as a pleasant distraction from her problems.


	5. Chapter 5

Ever since the little pact she made with who she believed was a scheming little imp disguised as a man, her daily routine was sprinkled with little surprises and oddities in the form of boxed lunches, funny text messages, and the best so far, a visit from a bike courier delivering something much better than what she had lost before: a very elegant, very shiny and most likely pricey ceramic roller ball pen. The pen nerd in her was tickled pink when she felt the lightness of the barrel between her fingers, impressed at how smoothly it wrote. She put it to the test and wrote all her notes and orders with it, and even Dr. Kubo noticed the deep color of the ink in the neat strokes of her penmanship.

"It's as if it knows its owner's intentions," he commented.

How he knew she needed a pen before was a mystery to her. She would receive phone calls from him almost every day, and if he didn't show up around the corner of the hospital to drive her home himself, a man with her name scrawled widely across a sheet of paper would wait for her outside the hospital to usher her into his taxi.

It was so over-the-top, it made her laugh.

And yet she felt bad that he was trying so hard to curry her favor, she clearly realized that he must want to date her _that_ badly. The person he knew on the surface was amiable, witty, well-bred and intelligent. Just his friendship alone was enough to get him the extra month she had offered, and what he doesn't know is that she was far from interested in dating.

Not yet anyway.

She would make him understand without having to say it, that giving him the option of more time than actually dating was her answer to what he wanted. Like a cop-out. She would weaken his resolve with time.

As she walked through the glass-covered walkway connecting the physical rehab wing to the main foyer, she looked at the rain that fell against the glass, heavy drops that fell in sheets rhythmically beating against the entire walkway to the sway of the wind.

Blink.

Sigh.

She remembered one rainy early evening when she left her office and walked through the front doors of the hospital, and at the end of the covered walkway was Sanosuke dressed in a zip-up hoodie and shades, waiting for her with an oversized umbrella as he leaned against one of the metal supports of the canopy. It was on the fifth day of their agreement.

Humiliation.

When had she turned into a coward? She wouldn't be surprised if he waited for her again, umbrella in hand and that confident smile on his face. So much effort for something she knew she wouldn't reward with what he desired. She closed her eyes for a moment, her concentration turning to the task she must do at the end of the week. It would be payday then, and she was sure another note would be slipped under her door telling her where to drop off the money and when.

That was why she couldn't even entertain the thought of being involved, with Sanosuke or anybody else. She shouldn't forget that for a single moment.

Another working day has ended, and she went to her office to gather her things. Her cell phone buzzed with a reminder of Friday's events she had to attend.

Ayame-chan's school function.

Mika-san's birthday.

She smiled at the recollection of Ayame's cute voicemail she left on her cell. She would most likely have to leave early that day to practice with her one more time before going to her school. It would be her first performance, and she was sure the child would get nervous.

Elevator.

A faint smile tugged at her lips with the recollection of her first dance, around the same age as Ayame, the fans in her tiny hands slippery from sweat and nervousness, her mother's gentle voice cooing encouragements.

First floor.

And the proud cheers of her parents when she performed her first flawless performance.

_Ding._

She sighed as the elevator doors opened. Ayame and Suzume were orphaned in the blink of an eye when a drunk driver slammed into their parents' car at an intersection, taking them away forever. They would never join them in their victories or share the burden of their losses.

_You little ones hang in there, too…_

The security guard at the foyer greeted her goodbye as she passed the front doors of the hospital, the rain pelting on the walkway a droning noise to his greeting. She took an umbrella out of her bag and was about to open it when she swung her gaze in front of her, stilling at the sight of the towering imp who was determined to get under her skin. Starting with that big grin on his face.

"Hello, Kasumi-san," he greeted. "How was your day at work?"  
She replied with a small smile. "It was good." She knew Sanosuke was taller than her, and not many men were, but she didn't really notice how long his legs were now that she took a good look. Maybe it was the jeans. "You don't have to do this every single time, especially when it's raining."

"I know I don't have to, but I was around the area anyway, and I've got this giant umbrella, thought it might come in handy. Wouldn't want you to catch a cold now, would we?" His hand absently reached for the bill of the baseball cap he wore and fitted it in place. No one seemed to know who he was, and he was actually giving thought into cloaking his identity.

The corner of her mouth lifted. "Of course not." She put away her umbrella that seemed like a tiny leaf to the vastness of his golf umbrella, big enough to shelter three people comfortably. She hesitated for a moment, looking at the black fabric of the fighter's umbrella. Sanosuke cocked his head to the side.

"Kasumi-san, you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

Pause.

"Um… shall we, then?"  
There was something about that warmth in his brown expectant eyes that made her want to decline his shelter from the rain and his friendship altogether. She paid no heed to his whims of food and trinkets (though the latter was something that suited her fancy), but his physical presence made her want to wear that same mask of indifference to hide the fact that he was affecting her in ways that could only be described as tachycardia in medical terms.

Nod.

Maybe it's anxiety that he would get too close?

Relief.

"Great! Oh, would you go to the bookstore with me? I wanna get a new storybook for the girls, lately all I've been reading them are boy stories like Jack and The Beanstalk… Ayame-chan wasn't a big fan of giants, and Suzume-chan was too freaked out to go to sleep."

Or perhaps the siren timbre in his deep and steady voice that lulled her towards the comfort he offered?

Perfect cadence.

"How would my going with you help?"

Chuckle.

"You're gonna help me pick one out."

Brow raised.

"I thought you were the one being evaluated for dependability, Sagara-san."

"I know, but you're a woman who'd know what stories little girls like to hear, and I need your advice."

She wasn't convinced.

"Desperately."

Limit your time…

"Please, Kasumi-san… it's for the kids."

Now that he made it look like she'd be the bad guy if she said no, how could she refuse?

"All right then, I'll go."

"Sweet! I'll take you out to dinner for the trouble."

It's a trap…

"It won't be any trouble at all, so dinner wouldn't be necessary."

Front passenger door opened.

"Oh, but I insist."

_Of course you do._

Step in.

She couldn't get a word in with the quick closing of her door and the swift opening of the driver side door.

Shut.

"Sagara-san—"

"Man, it's been raining all day! Katsu was smart to cancel my training outdoors."

"Sagara-san, about dinner—"

"Yeah, I was thinking of that Mediterranean restaurant by Katsu's house. What do you think?"

At that instant, his companion's stomach growled audibly, widening her eyes and her hands reflexively reaching for her middle as if to silence it.

Grin.

"Mediterranean food it is. Maybe we should feed you first."

If her stomach was a person, she would've beaten it to a bloody pulp for betraying and embarrassing her at a time like this. Now she would have to be his captive audience from now till God knows when, and she just hoped the bookstore errand would be quick.

Lucky for her, five blocks ahead was a traffic jam.

* * *

Taking a deep breath, a man in a dingy white lab coat stood before a rack of test tubes in the midst of a glassware jungle. Flasks and vials were scattered across the long table, filled with small amounts of murky liquid. A composition notebook lay open to the latest data table, ready for the next battery of tests.

Exhale.

_Please work…_

He took a pipette and drew small aliquots of red fluid from a tube separated from the rest in a cold bath, transferring the drops into the test tubes on the rack. After the last tube was filled, he sat down on a stool, started a stopwatch and stared at the tubes, waiting for a desired reaction.

One minute.

If this mixture would only work, it could possibly get his wife the medical supplies she needs.

Two minutes.

If this mixture worked, maybe they'd let him see his daughter.

Still clear.

He couldn't remember when the last time he was able to see the sunlight outside the basement he was held in, but he was grateful that he could even see some sunlight through a window. It all happened so quickly; he and his wife were on their way home from a research symposium, and without warning a black cloth came over their heads and covered their eyesight, strong hands forcefully pushed them into a vehicle, and the next thing he knew he was standing in front of a chemistry worktable, complete with all the equipment and chemicals needed to create something he never thought to ever make.

Three minutes.

A biochemical weapon.

He could still hear the words of the man who stole their freedom and held them against their will. The deal was simple: make the poison successfully, and they go free. Any resistance, and their daughter would be harmed. His jaw clenched at the thought of this pencil thin man and his terrorist ideals laying a finger on his daughter.

_Over my dead body._

Four minutes.

He supposed that he should be grateful that he is able to send correspondence with their daughter, if only to tell her that they're still alive. But he knew that their daughter was paying for this little freedom, as he was sure that the man who was enslaving him to work on this heinous project was likely extorting money in exchange for his letters. He tried ways of contacting people outside of the grounds were they were held, but to no avail. Once, he and his wife were allowed to walk around, only to realize that the building they were imprisoned in stood on a cliff that faced an ocean, the breeze and desolation hitting them coldly like a sobering slap. His best bet out of there was doing what he was forced to do, which was to make the substrate he created to react with the samples of blood he was given.

Five minutes.

Nothing.

He let out a long sigh before getting up and writing the results on the notebook, table after data table of failures. Throwing the pen down, he reached for his glasses and took them off to rub at his tired eyes. He drew a long deep breath, before huffing it all out in frustration, moving onto the next test tube rack with a different mix of liquids he had prepared earlier. He can't recall how many times he'd done the same experiment, and without the help of machines to mix the different chemicals for him, he had to be the lab coordinator, robot arm and janitor all in one.

A slave.

Mournful sigh.

For his wife and daughter's sake, he must continue to work, praying for God not to forsake him.

* * *

She had never tasted lamb shanks prepared with an exotic mixture of herbs and spices that sizzled in her mouth. The food was so delicious, she had to keep reminding herself that she was schooled in the art of etiquette and finesse to prevent her from taking enormous bites that would rival Sanosuke's appetite.

As she savored another bite of her food, she tried to recall when it was the last time she tried cuisine this foreign.

A blank.

"Pretty good, huh?"

Her eyes swung to her companion across the small table, grinning as his muscular jaw worked to chew his food.

"It's definitely delicious… how did you find out about this place?"

Swallow.

"Well, every time I go to Katsu's place to hang out, I drive by it all the time, and I just never really had the time or occasion to try it out. But, here we are," he said as he sliced another piece of meat. In a low timbre, he added, "Thanks for going on this adventure with, Megumi-san. I don't often get to do this kind of thing."

_Me, neither…_

"Why not? I would think that you're being paid well enough to eat out for every meal of the day."

Sanosuke chuckled, the light reflecting from his eyes a warm glow to her sight. "I am, but Katsu has me busy with meeting all sorts of people from the media that I barely have time to try anything new. Like this sauce, it's out of this world… wanna try?" He dipped a sliced piece of meat on his fork and held it out to her.

She looked at the offering with speculation, knowing well enough that this was not in the etiquette lessons she was taught.

"It's already dead, it won't bite."

His comment made her smile a little and she reached out to steady the hand that held the fork, her mouth opening and cautiously biting off the tender meat from the silverware. It was only when she let go of his hand that the fighter noticed his heart was racing, his eyes trained on her pursed lips glistening with traces of oil which she licked clean with her tongue.

He knew it wasn't polite to stare, but…

Petite mouth.

Held breath.

"The sauce is quite good, Sagara-san. You picked an equally yummy dish."

Sanosuke was perplexed at the way he was acting. He knew he could be himself around this woman, but the little things she does that should be insignificant to any other person set a blaze inside him he wasn't quite sure how to stifle. Well, not decently. Maybe he needed more tea.

"Uh, yeah… Want another bite?"

"No thank you, I've got enough on my plate."

As dinner wound down, they waited for the dessert they ordered and sipped on the hot mint tea they were given, the steam curling above her cup mesmerizing to her, and Sanosuke watched in quiet pleasure as she cradled the cup in her hands to warm them. It was getting into late autumn, and the weather had gotten much colder and windy.

"So do you like to eat out, too?" he asked, enjoying how the light from above bounced off her eyes.

"No, I don't really have the time nor the luxury…"

Unconvinced.

"But you're a doctor. I thought they made big bucks."

Shrug.

"Not when you're just starting out."

Sip.

"Is that why you play at Yama-jiichan's?"

Her stomach churned with worry at his question. "I play so I don't forget how to play. It also doesn't hurt when he pays well."

"How did you meet him?"

Smile.

"I met him at the hospital. He told me I had really long fingers and asked if I played a musical instrument. After I told him I play the cello, he insisted that I play for him, and every now and then I'd get a desperate call from him to play at his little hideout." She took her teaspoon and mixed the hot liquid. "Sometimes I wonder why he picked me… I'm not particularly good at it."

"He probably thought you have heart."

Squint.

"And how would you know that?"

Shrug.

"I heard the oldies talk about you at Yama-jiichan's ballroom…"

Pause.

"…And?"

Head tilt.

"Well, you know…"

"No, I don't."

Thoughtful.

"How should I put it… in their words, you're this beautiful woman they all wish to be younger for, and a kind doctor who always asks about their health, and someone they'd protect as they would a daughter."

Pleased grin.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, they even warned me about getting my heart broken because you've turned every other guy down flat."

Embarrassment.

"… I'm just not interested in dating."

Certitude.

"That's 'cause you haven't spent enough time with him yet."

Brow arching.

"Oh? And who's 'him' supposed to be?"

The fighter laughed. "I'm just saying."

She sighed at his evasion.

Comfortable silence.

"What week are we in of our agreement, Kasumi-san?"

"… I believe in the middle of the third week."

Thoughtful pause.

"What's my current ranking on the dateability poll?"

_Did he just make up a word?_ She fought hard not to laugh. "Hmm… I'd say in the neutral ranks."

Dejected sigh.

"Didn't even make a dent, huh?"

Pensive.

"… Your robust appetite seems to be favorably looked upon."

Interested.

"Yeah?"

She smiled. "No one likes a finicky eater."

Pride.

"Finicky, I'm not."

And he proved just how much he wasn't a finicky eater when dessert finally arrived.

* * *

After doing her final rounds with the interns on the floor, Dr. Shirakawa finally looked down at her watch and grimaced at the time. The day went by so quickly, she didn't even get the chance to chat with Dr. Kubo about some cases, little less eat. Then again, Sanosuke made her eat so much yesterday, she thought she was going to be diabetic from all the dessert he ordered. Taking out a little sheet from her notepad, she scribbled a note to Dr. Kubo, thanking him for the consult he gave her. Walking to his office, she slid the note under the closed door with her lips upturned in a grateful smile, only to frown once more at the sudden appearance of Dr. Ito who was practically inches from her face.

"Passing notes during class, I see?" he commented loudly, his beady eyes and steep brows shaping his face like a viper.

This man was absolutely repulsive.

"A little note of gratitude for the help he gave me."

"Oh really? Such as getting this weekend off and not being on-call for eight straight weekends?"

This was news to her, one that surprised and befuddled her. If Dr. Kubo knew about it, he would have told her in advance. And since she was last to know, she was pretty sure it was the work of Naoko.

"That's news to me, Dr. Ito," she echoed her thoughts, stepping a comfortable distance away from him. "I was not aware that they posted the schedule for the next two months."

"Well, I'm sure being so _friendly_ with old man Kubo has plenty of perks… so tell me, can he still get it up for you?"

For a moment, she thought back to the second she stepped through the front doors of the hospital that day, and she was on her feet the entire time, not remembering if she even sat down to write. Interns came to her almost every five minutes for questions, and she was paged four times every hour. At the end of the day, all she wanted was to thank Dr. Kubo for lending his brain when hers shut down, for her to get home, for her to finally sit down and put her feet up and think of a good reason, if any, why she shouldn't kill this snake of a man in front of her.

"First of all, I have absolutely no say about call schedules, just like you. But unlike you, I am always the one being paged to do emergency cases in the O.R. regardless of what time of the day or night, and while you are sleeping during your calls, I am the one picking up your slack when you don't do the paperwork on every single patient on the floors. I don't know what's going on with the scheduling, but maybe they were paying attention to those who _are_ doing the work, and you are out of line accusing me of something only your perverted mind could conjure."

The president of the hospital and Dr. Kubo just happened to round the corner to their offices, and the moment she caught sight of them, she angrily added, "And no, I will _never_ go on a date with you! Please stop harassing me, Dr. Ito. No means no!"

Shock.

"Dr. Ito, what is the meaning of this? Are you bothering Dr. Shirakawa!?" The president's voice echoed loudly in the hallway, startling Ito and even her.

Stutter.

"W-what? No, I was just asking her about—"

"She said no, Ito. Step away from her," commanded Dr. Kubo, marching between her and the snake. "Are you okay, Dr. Shirakawa?"

Nod.

"Dr. Ito, I've ignored the complaints of the nurses of this hospital against you because I thought they just didn't like you. Now that I've seen with my own two eyes what you do to them, I have to do _something_ about it."

Dr. Kubo dragged his protégé away from Ito, walking into the main hallway and away from earshot. As they did, the president's voice got louder and louder while Ito's bleated softer and meeker. She felt a little bad for taking advantage of the situation, but oh, she was so mad!

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" her mentor asked as they approached a different wing of the hospital.

"He insinuated in a very perverted way that my being friends with you had something to do with the scheduling… Dr. Kubo, I didn't even know about it till he brought it up. The nerve of him!"

She nearly ran into his back. "Oh—sorry, Dr. Kubo."

Motionless.

"Dr. Kubo?"

Her mentor turned around, livid. "I'm going to wring his neck!"

* * *

Falling to his knees, sweat dripped from his chin as he labored for breath, this workout a punishing regimen for his body to follow. Sanosuke closed his eyes to avoid the sting of perspiration and swiped his fingers over them, his throat and lungs burning. Katsu really knew how to extract every ounce of energy he had with the simplest of tasks; the obstacle course looked fairly easy at first glance when he was taken to the track and field of the nearby high school. He didn't expect to do ten sets of fifty push-ups and crunches with every core exercise station, and Katsu's choice of weights for the lifting stations came in all shapes and sizes, from tires to big sections of logs suspended on a pulley system. His muscles burned and twitched from fatigue, and just when he thought it was all over, Katsu made him run laps around the track, telling him to stop only when he got tired of watching him run. After his twentieth lap, Katsu finally did. As he turned to sit where he collapsed on the track, the fighter wondered if this was retribution for the last fight being so short, or if it was because he got careless right before the fight.

Regardless of reason, Sanosuke welcomed the burning pain, for it was only through this kind of training that he was able to climb to his current rank, and only a manager like Katsu understood the limits of his ability.

"I'm glad you didn't pass out," his best friend said as he approached him, looking as if he never broke a sweat before in his life in his pristine athletic attire.

The fighter cracked a grin as his chest heaved for air. "Was I supposed to?"

Shrug.

"I just wanted to see if you could tolerate this type of training."

Sanosuke wiped his brow. "I might have just enough energy to make it back to the car… maybe…"

Scheming.

"Well… I'd show I had more if I were you. Tae and Kasumi-chan are meeting us here so we could all go to her restaurant to eat."

"What?!" Immediately springing to his feet, Sanosuke dusted his shorts and scanned the entrance to the track. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? I could've paced myself without looking like a beached jellyfish! What time are they getting here? Are they already here? Do I have time to go back to the gym and shower?"

Laughter.

"It seems that you have more energy reserved than you thought."

Awkwardness.

"Yeah, well lucky for you, you already have your woman. I'm still trying to get this one."

Katsu studied the man before him, still catching his breath and eyes darting at the distance. "I've never really seen you react like this to any woman before, Sano… you sound serious."

Grin.

"It's not fair for her to get under my skin without any effort whatsoever. I'm only trying to even the score and get under hers."  
Pause.

"Get under and leave?"

Blink.

"Hopefully, get under and stay."

Katsu dug his hands in his pockets and smiled at the ground. "Interesting… is it because she's the only woman who didn't swoon at your boyishly rugged charm and roguish good looks?"

Deep breath.

Exhale.

"I don't know… maybe it's because she's the only one who doesn't expect anything from me. In fact, she downright told me that she wasn't interested in dating."

His best friend's eyes grew wide. "Really? How'd you respond to that?" he asked as he motioned for Sano to head back to the car with him.

Chuckle.

"I told her it's because she hasn't spent enough time with me yet."

Katsu laughed out loud, fishing the keys out of his pant pocket and disarming the alarm. "Didn't you tell me before that you have a time limit of a month?"

The fighter opened the backseat passenger door and took out a clean shirt from a gym bag. "Yeah… tomorrow makes it the end of the third week." He got in the front seat as soon as he changed out of his shirt. "Do you think I'll make a good enough impression by the end of next week that she'd agree to officially date me?"

Katsu keyed the engine to life and leaned against the steering wheel. "Hm… I dunno… are we grading on a curve?"

"Come on, dude, I'm being serious here."

Sigh.

"I don't know a thing about Kasumi-chan's romantic life, but that all depends on how you carry yourself… from what I've seen, you are so star-struck by this woman, it's embarrassing." His manager's comment was followed by a laughter that made Sanosuke's cheeks fluster with shame.

"Don't knock the feeling, dude, you were just exactly the same way when you first saw Tae-san… hey wait a minute, didn't you say she and Kasumi-san were gonna meet us here?"

Katsu shifted the car into drive, smiling wickedly. "I lied." Seeing how that deflated his buddy even more, he activated the push-to-talk feature on the dash of his vehicle. "Call Tae," he commanded, bringing the car to a halt at the red light of an intersection. "It doesn't have to be a lie if I could make it happen, right?"

A corner of Sanosuke's mouth lifted as he leaned his elbow against the door panel, looking out the window at the walking pedestrians as he listened to Katsu transform into a smooth-talking double agent for Tae. With the way he always dressed in designer everything and his silver tongue, Katsu could easily fit the image of James Bond in Sanosuke's head. Except, his name is Kachuchin-tan, as Tae affectionately addresses him. As his manager made plans for their get-together, the fighter leaned his chin against his hand and wondered if Megumi would ever give him a term of endearment. Halfway back to the gym, he noticed a dull ache in his chest at the thought and possibility of not ever getting to that point.

* * *

Up until the sixth block away from the hospital, Megumi felt guilty for how she disposed of her day's peskiest annoyance. She tried to rationalize just how much low-life Ito deserved it, but the day off she was given tomorrow by Dr. Kubo just made her feel guiltier, giving some substance to Ito's accusation of 'friendly' perks.

She'd lost count of how many times she sighed.

Ring.

"Hello?"

Giggle.

"Hello, Kasumi! Come by the restaurant, I want to feed you!"

"Huh?"

"Just come on, Abe-san's got this new dish and I want you to try it before we put it on the menu for tonight."

Sigh.

"Tae… I'm not really feeling up to it."

Pause.

"You've never turned down my food… did something happen today?"

Groan.

"Yes, and I completely used the circumstances I was in to get back at that annoying doctor at the hospital."

"You mean that guy who asked you out over a dozen times?"

Another sigh.

"Yes."

"Then all the more reason to stop by! I can cheer you up! And if I can't, then the food will. And if the food can't, then the dessert will."

_Dessert…_

Hesitation.

"If I go, I can't really stay all that long, I have to get a present for a co-worker's birthday—"

"Then it's settled, I'll see you here within thirty minutes?"

Pushover.

"Sure, I'll hail a cab over."

She hung up and looked out at the street, raising her hand at the first cab she saw. As soon as she got into the vehicle and gave her destination, she sank in her seat, blankly looking at windows of buildings, wondering how she was to handle the following day.

Waking to the hoarse voice of the cab driver, she blinked her eyes open to find that she had arrived at Tae's restaurant. Paying her fare, she got out of the cab feeling disoriented, wanting to tell Tae to let her crash on the loveseat in her office. She gave the door greeter a weak smile as she walked through the entrance, only to be jolted awake by Tae dressed in floral silk.

"I'm so glad you could make it here so soon!" the proprietor beamed with joy.

"Tae, I need coffee, stat," she mumbled, falling into Tae's embrace.

After relaying the request to a server, Tae led her to the table at the farthest corner of the restaurant, where private parties and special guests were often seated. She just wanted to go straight to Tae's office and sleep.

"We'll be having two other people sampling the food with you," her friend casually said, nodding her hellos to the patrons they passed. The doctor was silent for a while.

"Why do I have a feeling that I'm walking into a trap?"

Tae giggled. "What ever do you mean? Well, here we are!"

Held breath.

"Katsu and Sanosuke-kun also volunteered for the taste test!"

Her day had been completely hectic, with no rest in between patients, and a showdown with a colleague. She was tired, just wanted to rest, but she'll have none of that now that she had to be on guard again.

Look happy…

Mask.

"Hello, Tsukioka-san, Sagara-san."

Tae took the seat next to Katsu so that Kasumi would have no choice but to sit beside the fighter. Plates of food were immediately served as soon as they were seated. "Your coffee should be here shortly, Kasumi."

Nod.

"How did your day go, Kasumi-san?" Sanosuke asked, his eyes noting the forced posture of his seatmate.

Reluctance.

"I'm just glad it's over now."

"That bad, huh?" Katsu chimed in before munching on a succulent piece of Kobe steak. "God, Tae, this is really good!"

"Really? Abe-san will be delighted to hear that! He'd been putting a lot of different steak rubs together…"

Kasumi looked at the food before her and sampled a piece from each portion of meat and side dish, the taste bursting with flavor with each bite, and had she been paying attention to the conversation instead of how the spices left a pleasing tingle in her mouth, she would've caught the question posed to her in her savoring stupor.

"Kasumi?"

Swallow.

"Huh?"

"I asked if dear Dr. Kubo finally did something about that guy?"

Expectant faces.

"That guy…"

_Ito._

"Right… Um, I'm not sure what the president chose to do. Dr. Kubo walked me away from it all just when he was about to read him the riot act."

Suspicious.

"What exactly did this guy do to you?"

Katsu glanced quickly at his best friend.

Another bite.

Shake of the head.

"It wasn't that bad, it's just… he just said a really inappropriate comment about me and the call schedules… the president of the hospital and Dr. Kubo just happened to be walking by when I lost my temper."

"That guy deserved it for sure, I'm surprised you hadn't told him off after the second time he bugged you for a date… I was hoping you'd have done it sooner, the way you told me how he was always in your face."

Jaws clenched.

"Even though he's pompous and lecherous, he's still a part of the team, and I have to work with him, regardless of how sad that is."

Sigh.

"You're too nice, Kasumi. Don't you think so, Sanosuke-kun?"

The fighter's brows knit in what Katsu saw as anger, but just as Sanosuke was about to open his mouth to say something, he reached for the glass of water instead and took a big gulp.

Stall.

"Well… I just hope that he got what he deserved, Kasumi-chan."

When Tae noticed that Kasumi stopped touching her food, she nudged Katsu's knee under the table and made quick eye contact with the server to bring her coffee post-haste. "Any plans for tomorrow then, Kasumi?"

Cappuccino.

"Thank you, you're a life-saver."

Blushing server.

Sip.

Sigh.

"I have to attend several functions."

"Oh? Which ones?"

Another sip.

"A talent show and a birthday party."

Sanosuke stilled at the information. "Talent show… at an elementary school?"

"Yes, Ayame-chan's."

Connection.

"Was that the talent show I agreed to go to with you?"

"It sure is."

It was refreshing to see the smiles that grew on their friends' faces, Tae and Katsu turning to each other and grinning themselves. Katsu was relieved that Sanosuke stopped emanating the murderous aura only he could see. At least now, sharing a meal would be more pleasant. When dessert was served, Kasumi looked more alive, and sensing the brightening atmosphere, Tae excused herself to attend to the front as the guests for the evening were piling up at the door. Giving her hand a quick squeeze before she left the table, Katsu knew better than to be the third wheel. After an exhausting workout, Sanosuke deserved the reward of alone time with Kasumi.

"My, look at the time! I'm afraid I'll have to check out as well, I have to attend a cocktail party at Yamashita-san's grand opening. Sano, you gonna be okay without a GPS?"

Sano frowned. "Why wouldn't I be?"

The manager leaned into Kasumi's ear. "He has a terrible sense of direction. Please help him out if he gets lost."

"Dude, I can hear you!"

She tamped down her laughter and nodded at Katsu.

"Sano, don't forget that we have a signing party to attend tomorrow night as well. They'll let us know more of the specifics tomorrow, so look alive and prepare yourself. Tomorrow's workout will be even harder."

Groaning, he threw his manager a wave goodbye.

"Oh, and Yama-jii asked about you, Kasumi-chan. He asked me to have you call him if I saw you, he's throwing a birthday party for one of his buddies, he wanted to know if you could play for him."

"Thanks, I'll do that."

As they watched him leave the restaurant, Sanosuke didn't know how to juggle how he felt about Kasumi being harassed at work and the time they would spend together at Ayame's talent show. He would be stupid to think that other men didn't see her as beautiful, and it would make sense that she would get date offers left and right. But what did his foster mother teach him?

_No means no, period..._

She took out her phone and started typing what looked like a reminder, watching her slender fingers hover over the full keyboard.

"So this guy at work… did he ever lay a finger on you?"

Save.

She looked Sanosuke straight in the eye. "Nope. Never gave him the chance."

He grinned in relief. "Good. 'Cause I'd be happy to teach you some moves should he ever try." _Better yet, I'd be happy to give him a live demonstration…_

She tilted her head at the thought. "That might be a good idea." Meeting his gaze, she smiled sincerely, so dazzling it was to him that he thought out loud.

"Wow…"

Seething jealousy deleted.

"Hm?"

"N-nothing… I, uh, just wanted to know if Ayame is prepared to wow the audience tomorrow."

Nod.

"If she's been practicing as instructed, she'll be great. That reminds me, I have to pick her outfit up at the shop…" She trailed off as she sunk in her seat, the sense of fullness and fatigue finally overcoming her. Her mother would frown at her slackened posture, but she was just so tired… she still had the drop-off to think of. "I'm sorry for being less lively, Sagara-san. Work really took a lot out of me today, and I'm a little overwhelmed at what I still have to do."

Perked up.

"What else do you have to do other than pick up the outfit?"

Her head tilted to look at the ceiling, eyes closing in recollection, unaware of his companion's tracing gaze. "I have to pick a present for my co-worker's birthday, and I don't know what to get her…"

Pause.

"What's your budget like?"

Laughter.

"Something that won't break the bank."

Thoughtful.

"Need some help?"

Pride.

"No thank you, Sagara-san, I can pay for it."

Chuckle.

"I was talking about picking the present… although it wouldn't be a problem if someone else paid for it."

Confused.

"Who else would pay for it?"

Evil grin.

"Katsu."

* * *

_"Congratulations on your graduation, Megumi-chan! We're so proud of you!"_

_Ecstatic._

_"Thank you so much!"_

_Nostalgic._

_"My little girl's all grown up… Mom, how do I turn back the clock?"_

_Laughter._

_"You can't, dear. Pretty soon, you'll be walking your daughter down the aisle."_

_Protective._

_"What?! My little girl's got a boyfriend? State his full name, age and qualifications!"_

_Giggle._

_"Daddy, I don't have a boyfriend."_

_"… Really?"_

_"Yes, really."_

_"Then I'm still your number one?!"_

_Carry and whirl._

_"Promise me you'll always love Daddy the most!"_

_Embarrassment._

_"I promise, Daddy, now put me down!"_

_

* * *

  
_

She led the way to an unfamiliar shop in a familiar part of town. Sanosuke used to walk these streets as a kid in high school, and he would never have guessed the little shop with the blue door was owned by a kimono maker older than fire. And yet as she gave Megumi the kimono meant for Ayame's talent show, her arthritic fingers held onto the silk fabric with a vise-like grip as she made a sewing adjustment to the sleeves, the wrinkles around her eyes couldn't dim the brightness within. It was as if the shop kept her alive. She introduced Sanosuke who stood by the shop door, looking out of place.

"This is Sagara Sanosuke-san. Sagara-san, this is Tanaka o-baa-san."

Careful shake of the hand.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you."

Smile.

"My, it's not often we get a visit from young men, and a handsome one he is," she thought out loud as she switched her gaze to Megumi. "What is your relation to this man, Megumi?"  
The fighter was taken aback at the mention of her real name, and as quickly as he blinked, she replied, "A friend."

He really wanted to interject, but the old kimono maker moved too fast for her age, ushering them to the center of the room and recounting how it was such a shame that Megumi could not find a good man to marry.

Arrow to the heart.

Showcase of fans.

"I am sure that your mother would not want you to be alone, Megumi?"

Discomfiture.

"Um… I'm quite all right, Obaa-san—"

Cackle.

"Oh, all in good time, I suppose… And did Tae show you her new acquisition? She said the kimono was for the restaurant."  
If Grandma Tanaka found out that she performed her mother's traditional dance for the masses, her poor precious heart might just stop. The Tanaka family had long been since a supplier of ornate kimonos for her mother's family, and they have crafted the most beautiful kimonos for each and every occasion, from birthdays to royal appearances to her coming-of-age celebration. Only the matriarch of the Tanaka family was allowed to see any of the dances, a courtesy given to the one person responsible for weaving such exquisite art on silk. Her mother's family was merely the animator of her art.

What would the old woman say if she broke family tradition? How would she react? The worst imaginations played in Megumi's mind, with the most awful ending being the kimono maker's untimely demise, spouting her deepest disappointment and shunning her existence. She couldn't exhale at the thought.

Nudge.

"Megumi-san, she must be referring to the one Tae showed you several weeks ago."

She recovered from her waking nightmare, letting the air out her lungs. "Right… it is beautiful like always, Tanaka Obaa-san."

"I'm glad you liked it… my fingers don't sew like they used to anymore."

Reassurance.

"I saw it myself, Tanaka 'Baa-chan, my mouth was gaping at how awesome it looked." Sanosuke shifted his eyes at Megumi and flashed a knowing grin.

Flattered.

"Really? She showed it to you as well?"

"She was just so excited about it, she couldn't help but show us! I am her boyfriend's best friend, and I just happened to be there. I wouldn't be surprised if you get more customers visiting your store, she can't stop telling everyone about it."

Megumi was impressed at the fighter's lip service. With just a few words, Sanosuke and the old woman were giggling like good friends, and as he carried on their conversation with kimono questions that surprised even Megumi, she realized that he had a comfortable charm in his voice that loosened airs of formality, the grin and the expressions on his face beaming with sincerity. Grandma Tanaka was won over so easily. As they moved around the showcases, the fighter glanced back at Megumi over his shoulder, eyes crinkling with a silent grin of understanding.

For now, her secret would be safe.

After the little tour, Megumi paid for the rental kimono and was given a warm embrace by the old woman. "Do say hello to your mother, dear, and tell her to stop by and visit me sometime."

"I will," she replied, her voice slightly hitched and hesitant.

"And you, my dear man, thank you for coming in to visit!"

Sanosuke was careful to hold the old woman's hands. "Had I known you were as nice as your kimonos, I would've come in a lot sooner. Thank you for your time, Tanaka-san."

Tickled giggle.

"Well then, please take good care, and I hope I see you again soon." Her bright beady eyes looked back at Megumi. "Together," she added.

If he was looking for a letter of recommendation, her words may have been the best he could ever get. Sanosuke watched as Megumi lowered her eyes at the comment as she bowed before the old woman.

"Thank you for having us. Until the next time."

* * *

He remained quiet as they walked to the train station side by side, the packaged kimono under one arm and a vote of confidence in the other. A side glance at his companion showed cheeks flushed from the chilly air, her eyes looking ahead, her back straight. He tamped down a sigh as they neared the steps to the station. It didn't matter what one or two people thought about him, only her opinion mattered in the end. He wished he knew what she was thinking.

_A nap_. Megumi wished she could take a nap, right then and there, not caring if it was in the middle of the street. The coffee from earlier had clearly worn off. But that would be silly, because Mika was a good and sweet co-worker who deserved the effort of a birthday present. As they descended down the steps into the subway station, Megumi laid out tomorrow's plans in her head, acquiring the money she needed for the drop-off, calling Yamashita for another cello job, prepare Ayame for the talent show…

"Kasumi-san, watch out!"

She opened her eyes and found Sanosuke staring down at her, his hands at her shoulders. What happened?

"Are you okay? You swayed forward… did you just faint?"

Blink.

Was she that tired? "I… I'm sorry… I must've dozed off… I'm a little exhausted." What an understatement.

She could see his worried brow awash with relief. "Why didn't you say so? I could've gotten us a cab."

"I'm sorry, I had my mind elsewhere… Sagara-san, forgive my selfishness, I shouldn't have involved you with these little things."

Her politeness placed a thick wall of glass between them that he'd been trying so hard to crack. "No no, I'm the idiot who didn't notice how tired you were…"

The next train arrived and opened its doors to passengers both leaving and going in, people hurrying and moving quickly.

"Come on, we're already here, let's go!"

Sanosuke grabbed her hand and led her inside the train, easily pushing their way through and barely fitting into a space by the closing doors, Kasumi's back pressed against the door. The train was jam-packed with passengers, and as it jolted to a start, the passengers inside were thrown off balance, shifting back like reeds against a forceful wind. She cringed and held tightly to the rail perpendicular to the edge of the door, waiting to be crushed by the wave of people. When she found herself breathing freely, she cracked an eye and found herself caged within Sanosuke's arms, his elbows against the doors bearing the weight of his body and the force of the passengers against his so that he was barely pressing against her. Megumi could feel his breath ghosting her ear, and it wasn't until a few moments later that she realized his arms were straining against the doors from the push of the crowd. She opened her mouth to say something when she felt something fall against the side of her leg.

Ayame's packaged kimono.

Sigh.

"I'm sorry for the impulse move, Megumi-san," he whispered in her ear. "I think the kimono dropped by your legs."

Megumi's eyes peeped up at his.

Heartbeat.

"I'm sure a lot of people will get off at the next stop." He felt her nod, and she tried to look down past his arm and shoulder. Following her gaze, he saw the package that had fallen from his clutch when he made their way onto the train. "I got it," he said, moving his foot to nudge the package back between them, and just when he succeeded, the train tracks curved and shifted the passengers against his back, this time the strength in the fighter's arms failing, his body colliding against hers.

Near crushing.

Gasp.

"I'm sorry…"

Of all the times his strength could leave him, it had to be now when the woman of his dreams was literally closer than kissing distance. The warmth of her breath against his neck made him even weaker, and as the path of the train straightened, the weight that crushed them also eased. It was the longest and most endurance-breaking minute for his arms, but it only took a few seconds of that moment to realize how perfectly Megumi fit in his arms, despite how fatigued they were.

Next stop.

They were forced off the train by the horde of passengers getting off, and unfortunately this time they found themselves in the same predicament, just barely fitting through the doors, crushed by the weight of people, feeling their hearts beat against each other's chest. His arms screamed bloody murder, but Sanosuke wasn't complaining.

"How many more stops till we get there?" he said into her ear.

Uncertain.

"…Honestly, I don't know… I don't even know where we are… or what present to get…" She felt him take a deep breath and press even closer against her, the tracks curving once again. It wasn't uncomfortable. It felt like he sighed into her hair as he continued to push against the door and railing, keeping their contact to a comfortable press.

"How about we kill two birds with one stone?"

She wriggled to meet his eyes. "What?"

Smile.

"I know a place where you can rest and get a present while you're relaxing."

Frown.

"It's a bit too late to shop online and get a present in time."

Chuckle.

"How about you just trust me on this one?"

Skeptical.

"You're not thinking of getting a gag gift, are you?"

He shook his head.

"Not at all! If anything, she'll feel so good, you'll be number one on her favorite people list for the next five years. If that doesn't happen, then—"

"Then I take away a week from our agreement."

Shock.

"What? But that's so long!"

Smirk.

"I may be tired, but I can't compromise my work relations just because I'm too dead on my legs to find a good gift."

He leaned the side of his head against hers and yielded. "Okay, okay. I'll risk losing a week. But I'm telling you, she'll love it for sure."

Her skepticism broke. "…Do you know where you're taking me?"

I want to take you home…

"It'd be better if we get off this train and into a cab."

She let out a tired breath, nodding and huffing a sigh against his shoulder in surrender.

* * *

As she got out of the cab while Sanosuke paid for the fare, she found herself standing in front of an old gated estate, with maple trees turning beautiful shades of red. Limestone pillars stood on either side of the wooden gates, with the name of the establishment etched onto an oak wooden plaque.

Watari Onsen.

"Well, here were are."

She tilted her tired head at the tall fighter as he looked at the gates in admiration.

"How is it possible to find a gift in here?"

Sanosuke took her hand and opened the gate, the grin on his face almost devilish. "I know you're gonna love this, and when you love it, your Mika-san is gonna love it, and when that happens, you owe me a date."

Megumi's jaw dropped. "What?"

A middle-aged woman in a kimono greeted them warmly, the sweet lady greeting the fighter by name. It was only for a brief moment, and then all attention was given to Megumi and her every comfort. Led to a room by two similarly dressed female attendants, she was given a luxurious bathrobe and ushered to a private bath where she was undressed against her will, forced to stand under a warm massaging jet of water. When she limped under the soothing temperature of the shower, the attendants lathered her skin with a soft washcloth, scrubbing her back gently. After a minute, she became cognizant of how silly this all was and politely refused any more scrubbing bubble help from the attendants. When she stepped out of the shower, a pathway lit by tiny candlelights led her to the shoji doors that opened to a hot spring.

A hot spring.

She looked around her, paranoid that at any instant Sanosuke will pop his head out of any crevice and sneer at her in victory. Coming to a place like this wasn't remotely near her thoughts, and she smiled as she shrugged out of her bathrobe before testing the deliciously warm water of the spring with her toe. Ever so slowly, she sunk into the steaming water, tension in her muscles seeping out of her as she took a deep breath. As the heat worked its way into her bones, she hugged her knees to her chest and closed her eyes, imagining her mother holding her when she was a little girl. _It must've been this warm… _like the comfort of the softest blanket. The sweet goodness of hot chocolate. The gentle hum of her mother's voice cooing a Van Halen song…

Her eyes snapped open. Her mother didn't even know who Van Halen was.

She stilled and strained to listen to the low timbre of the voice that sounded like it came from the other side of the wooden wall which divided the hot spring. A few more verses followed, and the corners of her lips lifted at the thought of what was sillier: the fact that she knew the words to the song being sung, or Sanosuke's somewhat melodious croon rising in the crisp autumn air. With a little work, he could very well get away with being a rock star. He already had popularity, lots of fans, and a manager.

So what did that make her, a groupie?

Shake of the head.

Song.

"How do I know when it's love…"

Feminine voice.

"I can't tell you but it lasts forever…"

Surprise.

When his singing stopped, she knew her presence was known. She heard movement in the water.

Pause.

"Kasumi-san?…"

Hesitant.

"Hello, Sagara-san."

The fighter leaned against the rocks closest to the wall, wishing the wall wasn't there, but at the same time relieved that she couldn't see the embarrassment on his face. He thought she was still taking a shower inside.

"I didn't know you listened to hard rock."

Splash.

"I didn't know you could sing."

He laughed. "It's more like a frog croaking."

Smile.

"So what do you think? Not a bad idea, right?"

Submission.

"This was an excellent idea, Sagara-san… I had no idea stewing in hot water felt so good."

_Had she not done this before?_ He made a note to take her here again later.

"It gets better."

"…It does?"

"You'll see."

Silence.

The water felt great and all, but she still had a present to get.

"I can feel what you're thinking, and I already got it taken care of. This Mika-san of yours is a lucky friend."

She felt a little bad. What made her so special that he would bend over backwards for her personal troubles? She chased the notion away. Sinking in the heat until her nose was under water, she closed her eyes. The second he finds out about her real life, he'd run 180 degrees away from her, as fast as his legs could carry him, she imagined. No, she was _sure_ of it. No man could be that strong, patient or sane enough to take on a crime syndicate's pawn.

Deference.

"Sagara-san… thank you."

The fighter loved the way his name rolled off her tongue. Touching the wooden wall as if to reach her, he sighed.

"Any time… and… it's Sanosuke, by the way. You can practice saying it if you have to, Megumi-san."

After five more songs and an hour-long massage that made Megumi succumb to the nap she desperately needed, they had dinner with the owner of the onsen and his wife, complete with all the sushi and sashimi they could eat. Old man Watari was as jovial as the first time the fighter met him, his Santa Claus belly and laugh made it easy to be comfortable. And much to Sanosuke's embarrassment, the proprietor and his wife proudly unrolled scrolls of vivid advertising posters: ripped muscles on a wide-shouldered frame, his tan skin beaded with water and a face of total relaxation in the hot spring made for an eye-catching photo finish that caught Megumi's attention for a few seconds. It was the human anatomy at its glorious perfection.

"Aw, come on, Watari-jiichan, put those away," he whined, trying to reach for the posters. The couple just laughed at him.

"Be a good sport, Zanza-kun! You should be used to being in the public eye by now! I had these posted all over Shibuya as soon as they were printed. That photographer is something else, don't you think so, Shirakawa-san?"

Sanosuke cringed. If Megumi was going to give him the privilege of time, the public eye was something he didn't want to be under.

The old man's wife giggled and poured more sake into the fighter's empty cup. "We are very grateful for Sagara-kun's help. Because of these posters, we are booked full for the next three months," she said, nodding at Megumi.

Laughter bubbled from the old man's throat. "You can count on me being at every single one of your fights. Tell your well-dressed manager that!"

So even older people appreciated Katsu's wardrobe. Sanosuke smirked. "I'll relay the message."

"You should know by now that if you ever want to pay us a visit, you are always welcome here."

"And please bring your lovely friend with you, Sagara-kun," the wife's voice ringing like a bell, her attention shifting to Megumi. "Your company is such a pleasure."

The fighter watched as her face flushed demurely, quietly giving her thanks.

* * *

When their cab arrived outside the gate, the owners walked them outside to bid them farewell, with all the employees of the establishment standing against the low walls that lined the entryway. A wave of bows started from the husband and wife down to the last employee at the ends, Sanosuke awed at their sincerity and the reverence, it made his bow look impolite. Megumi on the other hand seemed completely on the same magnitude of respectfulness. Getting in the taxi, Sanosuke waved goodbye as the car drove off, heads of the employees still bowed at their departing vehicle.

The hot spring, the massage and the mountain of food proved that her previous nap was not enough and pushed Megumi into a sleepy haze, only snapping her eyes open after the third time Sanosuke called her name.

"Oh… I'm so sorry, Sagara-san… what were you saying?"

He sighed, shaking his head. "Never mind, I'll tell you when you're conscious," he said, trying not to laugh. Reaching in his pocket, he produced a glittery red envelope and waved it at her proudly. "As promised, Mika-san's present."

It took a few seconds to register in Megumi's head that gratitude was in order, her face still looking confused as her brain sputtered to move her tongue. "Oh… um, thank you… okay…" She absently reached for her purse and opened it. "How much is it?"

"Don't worry about it, it's on the house."

She frowned. There was nothing free in this world. Not even her…

"No, really, Sagara-san. I can't allow that."

He shrugged. "That's too bad, because that's what Watari-jiichan told me. I tried paying for it, but he said I'd be insulting him if I did, and I know better than to get Santa Claus angry."

"But—"

"Not one more word, please," he said lightly, but his eyes serious. "Has it ever crossed your mind that sometimes people want to help you just because they _want_ to?"

Her lips thinned to a line.

"…But there's got to be something to even this out."

"If you think I'm keeping score, I'm sorry to disappoint."

Hesitation.

"But—"

He reached to silence her mouth with his finger, the digit firm and warm against her lips. She felt like being branded.

"Don't fight me on this, Megumi-san," his voice quiet. "Anything I do for you is something I want to do, not because I need something from you in return." He withdrew his touch and smiled crookedly at her. "If it makes you feel any better, you've more than evened everything out and then some by just agreeing to give me a few minutes of your time."

She felt like frowning again, but even her face was too tired to do that. She looked out the window and blew out a frustrated sigh, letting her head fall back against the seat. The taxi idled at a stoplight, and classical music played softly through the speakers. It was Bach. The driver had exquisite taste.

"You win this time," she mumbled, the scenery blurring in her tired eyes.

Sanosuke scoffed at her words. "Actually, you win _all_ the time." When he heard no rebuttal, he turned his gaze to find her sound asleep.

Angelic.

Sigh.

After two lights, the driver turned the corner and lolled Megumi's head against his shoulder. Had it been anybody else, he wouldn't have let himself be startled in the slightest, and would have nudged the head that encroached his personal space. But this wasn't anybody else. He stilled and found himself taking deep breaths to slow his heart. The last time he saw her fall asleep, her cheeks were wet with tears and she was balled up in his arms, completely subdued. Was it wrong to be grateful for her moments of vulnerability? He felt a twinge of guilt for that. His life seemed more validated with the fact that he was there to help the most accomplished, independent and devastatingly beautiful woman he'd ever met. She was far from being a damsel in distress, but she worked so much that even her body sometimes couldn't keep up. Despite that, her pride wouldn't allow anyone else to do what she could for herself.

Anyone except him.

He supposed he could feel special at the thought.

He leaned his head lightly against hers, wished for time to stand still, and quietly asked the taxi driver to drive a little slower.


End file.
